The Babylon Effect
by andrewjameswilliams
Summary: Mass Effect/Babylon 5 Fusion. When Earth discovered the Prothean cache on Mars it began a sequence of events that will change humanities destiny and the fate of the galaxy forever.
1. Timeline

_**The Babylon Effect**_

**Timeline**

2055 Having conducted genetic experiments to introduce telepathy to the Human genome a team of Vorlons sets up a base in Antarctica and begins implanting the telepath genes into kidnapped Humans. These kidnapped individuals will be released with only a dream involving angelic creatures and an increased libido to spread the telepath gene as deeply into the Human genome as possible.

2069 First permanent settlement established in Shackleton Crater on the Moon. The lunar habitat is opened to colonisation on the one hundredth anniversary of the first lunar landing in 1969.

2070 Multi-Billionaire Victor Manswell frustrated at the pace of official space exploration begins funding his own space exploration program.

2075 The Manswell Expedition leaves Earth orbit bound for the Alpha Centauri system with 300 colonists in cryo-stasis onboard the heavily modified fusion drive freighter. Contact with the ship is lost shortly after it passes through the Kaiper Belt.

2080 Thralls of the Shadows discover the Vorlons are implanting telepathic genes in other species to use as weapons against their masters when they eventually return. The thralls track some Vorlons bringing supplies to the hidden Earth base and engage them. One Vorlon is killed and the Vorlons knowing there base will soon be discovered by the natives destroy the Antarctic base and flee.

Russian and American satellites notice a magnetic anomaly in Antarctica where the Vorlon base was. However expeditions sent to investigate find nothing but a smoking crater in the ground – it is later believed that the anomaly and crater were caused by an undetected meteor crashing into Antarctica.

2095 Conflict breaks out between the United Islamic Republics and the United Nations as UIR forces attempt to annex India and the former Soviet States to the south of the Russian Federation. The conflict soon escalates and the Third World War begins.

2097 The Third World War ends with kinetic kill vehicles being fired from space upon major military and strategic targets all over the UIR by allied forces. Facing the prospect of total obliteration from orbit the UIR signals its total and unconditional surrender. The environmental impact of the orbital bombardments soon become apparent as all the dust and sand blasted into the stratosphere lower global temperatures by one degree centigrade.

In the aftermath of the war some nations begin pushing for the establishment of a new alliance with sovereign powers but ultimately fail with the previous status quo returning as many nations refuse to consider giving up any sovereignty.

2103 The European space agency lands astronauts on Mars and establishes Lowell City – the first permanent settlement on the red planet. The development catches other space agencies off guard but within the year the US, China and Russia announce plans to set up their own settlements on Mars.

2115 International scientists certify the existence of telepathic abilities. The revelation sparks great civil unrest in many nations and in some places lynch mobs form attacking anyone believed to possess telepathic abilities.

2116 The United Nations establishes the Meta-Sensory Commission to investigate the full extent of Human telepathic abilities and establish a set of legal guidelines to ensure the protection and privacy of both telepaths and non-telepaths.

2135 The Eldfell-Ashland Energy Corporation develops and demonstrates a viable and cheap method of helium3 extraction from the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn. The development revolutionises both fusion reactor design and starship fusion drives and transforms Eldfell-Ashland practically overnight into one of the most powerful of all the various mega-corporations.

2138 First asteroid capture mission launched to knock a near Earth asteroid into planetary orbit to allow easy mining of the asteroids mineral and metal reserves.

2143 Construction of Gagarin Station begins beyond Pluto's orbit.

2145 Satellites orbiting Mars detect unusual gravitational fluctuations near the southern polar region of Mars along with odd EM field emissions. Due to a raging dust storm over the southern hemisphere of Mars exploration of the phenomenon is put on hold until the storm abates a process that takes the better part of a year.

2146 Scientists sent to the southern polar regions of Mars detect traces of an unknown blue crystalline material in the recently deposited top soil of Prometheii Planum. Attempts to trace the source of the material are hampered when a fresh dust storm blows across the area forcing the scientists to abandon work until the storm fades.

2147 Prothean outpost discovered by scientists beneath Prometheii Planum. The outpost shows signs of having been bombed from space by high powered directed energy weaponry which destroyed the upper levels. However the lower levels of the base – including its hanger and computer core – remain intact allowing scientists to begin probing the bases secrets.

The discovery of the Prothean ruins sends a massive shockwave through the whole Human race, a shockwave even more powerful than the one caused by the revelation of telepathy decades earlier. Many religions are rocked to the core and struggle to explain the revelation while humanity in general rejoices at at last having proof that they are not alone in the universe. Governments and militaries are however unnerved by the evidence of the damage to the base – evidence that indicates that not all life out in the stars could be friendly.

2148 Analysis of surviving Prothean data leads to humanity discovering mass effect technology and developing the first true FTL drive almost directly copied from the drives found aboard the small spacecraft docked in the Prothean outpost and using the stores of refined element zero found in the base. The only difference in the design compared to the Prothean one is the installation of room temperature superconductive cabling addressing the weakness of static electric build up in the core during operation spoken of in the Prothean records.

As the year comes to a close the Terran Systems Alliance charter is signed by all major nations – the Alliance will pave the way for humanity to become a spacefaring civilisation. The Alliance Navy is chartered to defend the Alliance and its peoples from all enemies be they alien or otherwise.

2149 An Alliance navy ship arrives in the Alpha Centauri system to determine the fate of the Manswell Expedition. They discover a small colony present on the surface of the third planet of Alpha Centauri A which has been named Gaia by the expedition. Contact is established and the colonists are stunned to discover Earth is a newly star faring world but welcome the chance to have contact with their homeworld once again.

Surveys of the rest of the system discover large deposits of element zero in a number of asteroids at the edge of the binary star system.

2151 An interplanetary transport carrying refined element zero crashes on approach to Brisbane International Spaceport spreading a cloud of dust form eezo over the bustling Australian city affecting millions. Many children born in the months immediately after the accident die of horrific cancers or birth defects though others survive with seeming no ill effects.

2152 Friction erupts between the descendants of the Manswell Expedition and new colonists arriving from Earth beginning the Alpha Centauri III or Gaia Incident. Attempts to resolve the situation diplomatically fail and the colonies firebrand leader Damien Manswell fires on and destroys a transport carrying supplies for the new colonists.

Almost immediately the Alliance responds to the outright aggression by sending a Special Forces team into the original colony and arresting or killing all its senior leaders. With the more hard-line leaders dead or in custody and facing the threat of an orbital attack the original colonists surrender. Friction and simmering resentment will remain between the settlements on the planet for some years after the incident.

2153 Further analysis of data from the Prothean outpost on Mars speaks of a large device capable of transporting ships dozens, hundreds or thousands of light years instantly called a mass relay being present in Earth's solar system. Somewhat to the incredulity of the Alliance navy the relay is found to be buried in the ice of Pluto's moon Charon.

Excavation of the mass relay begins using lasers and missiles to begin chipping away the spherical cocoon of ice around the relay.

Colony Demeter established on Proxima Centauri Three.

2154 Excavations of the Charon Relay are completed however attempts to activate it following the Prothean instructions fail. It is soon discovered that the relays activating codes have been encrypted by an unknown source as the coding does not match Prothean data structures.

Work on deciphering the complex coding begin.

2156 First contact – Centauri vessel _Malenos_ appears out of hyperspace at Proxima IV and is immediately intercepted by ships belonging to the 4th Colonial Patrol Group commanded by Captain Jon Grissom aboard the destroyer _Independent Spirit._

Contact with the Centauri vessel is established and the Centauri are shocked to say the least to find a spacefaring civilisation in a region of the galaxy they believed lifeless. Recovering from their surprise the Centauri claim to be the masters of an empire spanning the galaxy and that Humans are genetic cousins of theirs. Both assertions will later be found to be false leading to many politicians and military figures determining never to entirely trust what the Centauri say.

Through the Centauri the Alliance is introduced to a number of local races and gains the ability to manufacture jump gates and jump engines. However the Alliance soon reveals that it prefers mass effect FTL technology which is faster, more versatile and doesn't rely on vulnerable jump gates and beacons to navigate. Despite this reluctance to embrace hyperspace – to the consternation of local races – the Alliance builds a series of jump gates to key points in their space where they establish trading stations.

2159 The last of the codes preventing the activation of the Charon Relay are broken and the relay powers up and reveals that it connects to one of two locations. Probes sent through reveal the relay connects to the Exodus Cluster and the Arcturus System.

A number of additional mass relays are noted to be present at Arcturus and scientists begin probing them and are surprised to note that unlike Charon the relays are not encrypted.

2161 Construction of Arcturus Station – a space habit based on the work of scientist and engineer Gerald O'Neill begins, meanwhile exploration of the Exodus cluster gets under way.

2164 Colonies on Terra Firma and Eden Prime in the Exodus Cluster established. Additional colonies are also established in the Sirius and Beta Durani systems known as Avalon and Amaterasu respectively.

Some of the children who survived the eezo exposure at Brisbane begin to show unusual abilities that do not match any known telepathic or telekinetic phenomenon. Investigations by scientists working for the Alliance Office of Meta-Sensory reveal the presence of tumour-like nodules of element zero present in the brains and nervous systems of the now teenage children.

2170 Extremists opposed to Earth's ongoing trade with other spacefaring societies blow up two ships entering Earth's atmosphere spreading dust form element zero over large areas of North America and Europe. Once again the pattern of most children exposed in utero to the dust dying of cancer or horrific birth defects occurs and it is soon noted that those who are most likely to die of the more hideous mutations are children with a strong expression of the telepath gene.

Quiet monitoring of the children who survive exposure begins to see if they also display unusual powers as they grow older.

2179 Alliance warships patrolling the Exodus Cluster pick up a large group of electromagnetic signals in an out of the way system at the edge of the cluster and move to investigate. Upon arrival they discover a massive armada of 50,000 vessels of all sizes present in the system mining resources from planets and asteroids.

Contact is made with the alien armada revealing it to be a giant refugee flotilla filled with a species called Quarians who've been forced to wander the stars for 300 years following the loss of their homeworld to the Geth. From discussions with the Quarians the existence of the Citadel and the rules of the Citadel Council is revealed.

Deeply moved by the plight of the Quarian people the Alliance offers what help it can – providing a number of surplus ship hulls to replace aging vessels and whatever refined raw materials can be spared. The Quarians prove very grateful for the assistance and provide valuable information on a variety of subjects in particular the strange abilities being exhibited by some individuals. Abilities the Quarians reveal to be called biotics.

With the information provided by the Quarians the Alliance begins working to understand biotic abilities and develop implants to allow its citizens gifted with such powers to use them effectively. As the year ends the Quarian Migrant Fleet moves out of Alliance territory though the Alliance makes it clear that should they ever need help from them then all they have to do is ask.

2180 Border clashes erupt between Humans and Drazi. Raids carried out across the Alliances borders by the Drazi are responded to with lethal force and the Alliance warns the Drazi Government that it will not tolerate aggressive violations of its borders.

The Drazi ignore the warning and launch an attack on the Terran colony of Pacifica in the Orion System near the Centauri border. The attack is decisively beaten back by Alliance forces but not before considerable damage is dealt to the colony. Surprisingly the Centauri step into the dispute before full scale war can erupt between Terrans and Drazi and the situation is diffused with the temperamental Drazi pulling back from the border.

2188 Colonies established on Yedoa and Shanxi.

2189 Alfred Bester is born or Earth as Stephen Kevin Dexter. Six months after birth he is stolen by an unknown but well armed group that will later be known to be called Cerberus and given the name Alfred Bester.

2195 Jha'dur is born on the Dilgar homeworld Omelos in the Caliban Sector.

2201 G'Kar is born on Centauri-occupied Narn. As per Narn custom he as a pouchling is given a temporary name until he comes of age when he can choose his own name according to whichever Narn religion he chooses to follow.

2202 Delenn is born on Minbar.

2209 Centauri occupation of Narn ends. Narn is left a desolate, arid world stripped of most of its natural resources with its people scarred, angry and bitter about what the Centauri have done to their once green world.

2213 G'Kar takes his adult name.

David Anderson is born.

2214 March 2nd – Alliance vessels attempting to activate a newly discovered mass relay near the Shanxi system are detected by a patrol of Turian warships. Recognising the Turians from the Quarians data the Alliance vessels attempt to contact them only to be ignored and fired on without warning or provocation by the Turians. After a brief skirmish all but one of the four Alliance ships are destroyed – the survivor flees leaving behind three damaged and one destroyed Turian vessels.

March 4th – The battered remaining ships of the Turian patrol follow the Alliance vessel back to Shanxi and are immediately challenged by warships stationed at the systems perimeter. A brief fight ensues that sees all but one of the Turian vessels be destroyed or disabled. The survivor flees back to the Turian Hierarchy. Knowing the Turians will be back the Alliance begins making preparations to defend Shanxi and to send an expedition to the Citadel to resolve the conflict before it escalates into war.

March 12th – The Turian 32nd Assault Fleet under the command of General Desolas Arterius enters Alliance space. Resistance encountered by the Turians is sporadic and consists of hit and run attacks by frigates and destroyers with occasional fire support from a cruiser. Overconfident – believing they have the upper hand against the Terrans the Turians proceed to Shanxi unaware that they are walking into a trap.

March 13th – The Battle of Shanxi occurs. Turian forces attempting to enter orbit of Shanxi to begin landing troops find themselves caught up in a field of self guiding orbital mines as well as taking heavy fire from satellite and ground based defensive weapons.

As the Turians attempt to extricate themselves from the orbital defence grid the Alliance Second Fleet under Admiral Kastanie Drescher drop out of FTL and open fire on the Turians at close range with torpedoes, plasma cannons and lasers. Caught in a lethal crossfire between the defence grid and the fleet the bulk of the Turian forces including the commanding dreadnought _Demarius_ are destroyed or crippled. Several ships manage to escape the 'Slaughter at Shanxi' as it will come to be called by the Turians and flee back to the Hierarchy with severe damage.

March 20th – Enraged by the almost total annihilation of the 32nd Assault Fleet the Turian Hierarchy begins preparations for an all out invasion of Alliance space. The movements of Turian forces catches the attention of the Citadel Council who quickly move to stop the war escalating.

March 25th – Asari diplomats travel to Shanxi to resolve the conflict between the Alliance and the Turians. The Asari Matriarch in charge of the delegation is shocked to find out that the Alliance had been aware of the Citadel for some time but had not moved to contact them after hearing what they did to the Quarians and some of the rules they demand aligned races abide by.

May 12th – After extensive negotiations the Alliance and the Citadel come to an agreement. In exchange for a cease fire and access to its trade routes to the other side of the known galaxy the Alliance gains an embassy on the Citadel but is exempted from some of the stipulations set out in the Citadel Conventions.

Despite the peaceful end of the conflict many in the Alliance and Turian Hierarchy will be bitter and resentful about what happened for many years to come.

2215 John Sheridan is born.

2218 Jeffery Sinclair is born.

2220 Scientists on the Dilgar Homeworld Omelos discover that the star there world orbits is becoming unstable and will go Nova within 15 years. The Dilgar begin a quiet but extensive military build up in preparation to conquer the League of Non-Aligned Worlds.

Jha'dur joins the Dilgar military.

Stephen Franklin is born

2224 Ganya Ivanov is born in Vladivostok, Russia to Sofie and Andre Ivanov.

Catherine Sakai is born in Alaska.

Kaidan Alenko is born in Vancouver. Unknown at the time however is the fact that Kaidan's mother was exposed to dust form eezo while visiting a mining site for the valuable material as part of her job.

Michael Garibaldi is born on Mars.

2225 An element zero leak occurs aboard the Alliance dreadnought _Pandora_ exposing an unknowingly pregnant Lieutenant Hannah Shepard to dust form eezo.

An explosion occurs at an eezo refinery on Gaia exposing thousands to dust form eezo. An investigation later reveals the explosion to be the result of sabotage investigation of which yields only a name, Cerberus.

2226 Zack Allen is born on Gaia.

John Shepard is born on Arcturus Station.

Lyta Alexander is born.

2228 The Dilgar begin there campaign of conquest by launching a lightning attack on Belos IV and the Narn colony of Hilak VII. Both fall quickly.

2229 The Dilgar sweep over the League of Non-Aligned Worlds conquering and destroying multiple worlds. The cruelty of the Dilgar particularly of the Warmaster Jha'dur horrifies the rest of the galaxy.

The Alliance cruiser _Persephone _is monitoring the evacuation of a world in the Dilgar's path when she is attacked and destroyed by the Dilgar. The Dilgar will later explain that the attack was a misunderstanding. Not believing them and sickened by the Dilgar's cruelty the Alliance prepares its military forces for war.

2230 The Alliance warns the Dilgar not to enter Markab space or be prepared to face war with them. The Dilgar ignore them and the Alliance declares war on the Dilgar.

The Alliance joining the war against the Dilgar turns the tide and the once seemingly unstoppable Dilgar juggernaut falters and begins falling back.

Susan Ivanova is born in Vladivostok to Sofie and Andre Ivanov.

Jeff 'Joker' Moreau is born.

2232 The Dilgar fleet is decisively defeated at the Battle of Belos. The Dilgar do not recover from the loss and there defences are simply overpowered. Warmaster Jha'dur disappears as allied forces close on Omelos.

After a fierce battle in orbit of Omelos the Dilgar Imperium offers unconditional surrender. As punishment for their actions the Dilgar are confined to their world with all spacecraft, spaceports and Quantium forty supplies confiscated or destroyed by the victorious allies.

2233 Warmaster Jha'dur finds shelter with the Wind Swords clan of the Minbari Warrior Caste.

Ashley Williams is born on Amaterasu.

Delenn begins her internship as an aide to the Minbari leader Dukhat onboard the Grey Council's cruiser.

2234 Alliance expansion into the region of the galaxy known as the Skyllian Verge leads to conflict with the Batarians. The Batarians demand the Council declare the whole of the Verge a 'zone of Batarian interest' and off limits to aliens. When the Council refuses stating that the uninhabited worlds in the Verge are free for others to colonise if they wish the Batarians withdraw from the Citadel.

John Sheridan joins the Alliance navy.

2236 Kaidan Alenko begins exhibiting biotic abilities.

Sofie Ivanov is revealed to be telepathic after hiding it for most of her life. When discovered the Alliance Office of Transhuman Affairs (which has taken over responsibility for biotics and telepathy) offer her a choice pay a fine for hiding her abilities for so long and accept training, go to prison or take drugs to inhibit her abilities. After a brief time to think about it she agrees to the first option and accepts training as well as paying a heavy fine.

To avoid harm coming to their children Sofie and Andre speak to Ganya and Susan convincing them to reveal there own telepathic skills minor as they are.

2238 Kaidan Alenko is fitted with a new generation of biotic implant. Too late it is discovered that the newest generation of biotic implants have unforeseen side effects resulting in pain and insanity for many biotics.

Kaidan however is lucky and only suffers headaches. An offer is made to replace the implant with the older model but is refused.

2240 Stephen Franklin attends Harvard University studying medicine with specialisation on biotics and xenobiology.

Jeffery Sinclair joins the Alliance navy and attends fighter pilot school.

2242 Catherine Sakai joins the Alliance navy as a drop ship pilot and meets Jeffery Sinclair.

Zack Allen and John Shepard begin exhibiting biotic abilities. Both enrol in a new Alliance training and schooling program called Ascension for new biotics and new telepaths where they become friends.

2243 Elizabeth Levy is elected president of the Terran Systems Alliance.

Ganya Ivanov joins the Alliance navy as a fighter pilot.

Zack Allen meets a young Lyta Alexander at the Ascension school and the two date for a time before Lyta leaves with her parents moving. Lyta and Zack will not see each other again for many years.

2244 Delenn begins standing in for the ailing Satai Kadroni as a member of the Grey Council where she becomes involved in the debate on if the Minbari should make contact with the Alliance and through them the mysterious Citadel Council.

When the Minbari vote narrowly to not make contact Delenn begins quietly studying all the Minbari know about both groups.

2246 Sofie Ivanov dies in an accident devastating her family.

2247 May 2nd – Lennon head of the Anla'shok goes to see the Minbari Grey Council about increasing funding for the rangers as the time of the prophesied return of the Shadows is approaching. The request is denied however the Grey Council decide to plan a journey to Z'ha'dum themselves to see if the Shadows are returning. Meanwhile on Earth a fateful decision is made to send ships to the Minbari boarder to find out more about the enigmatic species.

May 5th – Satai Kadroni dies and the Council votes to replace her with Delenn.

May 12th – The Alliance task force headed by the cruiser _Prometheus_ commanded by Captain Michael Jankowski arrives at the Minbari border.


	2. Chapter 1

_**The Babylon Effect**_

Authors Note: Well here we go, here's the first chapter of my Babylon Five/Mass Effect fusion fic, its been really challenging to merge the realities and get this far so please be kind.

* * *

_**Chapter One**_

**TSV Prometheus**

**12****th**** May 2247**

Captain Michael Jankowski resisted the impulse to sigh in relief and to rub his eyes to relieve non-existent strain as he finished filling in his latest piece of electronic paperwork and saved it for later transmission back to base. His relief however was soon shattered and a groan of annoyance drawn from his lips as the ships VI automatically flashed up another piece for his attention.

Not for the first time he mused that the recruiters who'd persuaded him to join the Alliance Navy all those years ago had not been entirely honest with him. Yeah serving in the Alliance Navy was an adventure – he'd seen things, done things and been to places that he wouldn't have otherwise gone to or been able to go to if he hadn't joined the navy. In that regard the recruiters hadn't lied, but what they had conveniently forgotten to mention was the amount of paperwork – especially bureaucratic paperwork – that you had to put up with, especially when you became the commanding officer of a starship.

To distract himself from the bureaucratic make work on his holoscreen he thought about his command and his mission for a few moments. The _Prometheus_ was a top-of-the-line Sacramento-class heavy cruiser, bristling with all the latest weapons systems and at just over eight hundred metres long the two year old vessel was the pride of the 64th Border Patrol Flotilla. It was a sign of that pride that she'd been chosen to lead the task force sent out to scout the Minbari border and determine if they were a threat to the Alliance or not.

For this mission _Prometheus_ was not alone. Accompanying and supporting her were five other ships in the form of two Hades-class destroyers and three Euphrates-class attack frigates – all powerful vessels in their own right though each had firepower that was only a fraction of what the _Prometheus_ was capable of. All in all the task force was an intimidating array of power, one that would prove daunting to anyone with hostile intent who came in contact with it. Even the Batarians would think at least twice before risking a confrontation with six top-of-the-line Terran warships.

Personally though Jankowski thought that sending this much firepower to the Minbari border was more than a touch of overkill. After all the handful of Minbari vessels that had been detected scouting out the edges of Terran space – at least the regions of space they claimed on this side of the Charon Relay – had not taken any hostile actions, even if they had ignored all hails and retreated the moment Terran ships got to close to them. In his opinion it would have made more sense to have sent the _Prometheus_ to the border alone – he was after all confident that she had more than enough firepower to take whatever the Minbari could throw at her and pay it back in kind should they prove hostile.

Alliance Command however seemed to believe otherwise 'else they wouldn't be sending so many ships to investigate the enigmatic aliens. _Either that or they're sending the other ships along as watch dogs,_ he thought well aware of the fact that there were some admirals in Alliance Command who didn't like or trust him – who thought he'd gotten his position due to his families powerful political connections and not because of any inherent ability to command. He wouldn't put it past them to send along watch dogs – so they could come down on him like a hoard of rampaging Krogan if he made a mistake.

The bleep of the comm. jolted him out of his thoughts of his political enemies in Alliance Command. With a single quick movement he tapped a flashing holographic button on his consoles haptic interface.

"Yes?" he asked.

"We're approaching the Minbari border captain. You asked to be notified," his new XO Commander Alan Chaffin responded from the bridge. The younger man had not been his first choice to fill the place left by his previous XO – for some odd reason his first choice John Sheridan had preferred to stay with that old fool Sterns on the old Sheffield-class _Lexington_ – but he was tolerable and was certainly good at his job. _If only he weren't a freak then things would be perfect,_ he thought with a mental sigh knowing Chaffin was a biotic albeit not a particularly strong one. He'd never been able to understand biotics and what they could do, biotics and telepaths were just a bit to freaky for his tastes.

"Very good, commander," he answered "have all ships slow to sublight speeds and prepare to commence long range scans of the Minbari border. I will be right up."

"Aye sir," Chaffin acknowledged before signing off.

For his part Jankowski sighed and looked back at his terminal and the still waiting open file. A file which appeared to be general systems status report from the frigate _Gorgon_ – as fleet commander it was his job to read such reports. He took great pleasure in closing the unread report and shutting off the terminal before getting up and leaving for the bridge.

It was a decision he would live to regret.

* * *

Space momentarily rippled slightly as though a wave of heat was momentarily passing across a section of it. In time with the ripple six ships travelling in a standard inverted V formation seemed to materialise from nowhere. Purplish-blue light momentarily rippled around the ships as their mass effect FTL drive cores powered down to sublight running mode.

In unison the six sleek greyish-white shapes of the _Prometheus_ task group turned several degrees to port before firing their main thrusters once again and beginning a slow creep towards Minbari space. As they approached the imaginary line in space a variety of scanners reached out and began probing the area ahead and around them as they began the thorough scans that had been ordered by Alliance Command.

* * *

**Five Minutes Later**

Commander Alan Chaffin frowned slightly at his stations sensor display. Long range scans were picking up two large silhouettes at the edge of their range – they were also picking up a dark energy flux from both silhouettes that looked downright strange. Certainly it wasn't like anything in their experience or in the Citadel Council's experience either.

"Captain we're picking up two silhouettes at edge of scanner range," he reported glancing over his shoulder at Jankowski. "Silhouettes are also emitting a dark energy flux."

"What kind of flux," Jankowski asked. "And I though this area was supposedly well outside Minbari beacon transfer points."

"I don't know sir the computer doesn't recognise it at this range," Alan replied. "And yes sir it is, unless the Centauri information was incorrect."

"Wouldn't be the first time that happened," Jankowski commented with a snort. "Any sign that the Minbari are engaged in a search pattern? Maybe they found out were coming and are looking for us."

"Negative sir, the contacts are holding steady on a bearing of zero two five mark one zero four. We're getting some more sensor returns sir. Scanners confirm targets are unknown vessels – reading two dreadnought-sized vessels and several support ships. From the size I'd say they're fighters or gunships."

"Show me," Jankowski ordered looking at the main holographic display screen at the front of the bridge as it came to life showing a number of flickering, wire frame images that refused to stay fully in focus. Additional information appeared on the screen showing the dark energy flux being generated by the two larger vessels. "This is all we have so far?"

"Yes sir most of our sensor beams are being disrupted. They maybe using some sort of electronic stealth system to block the majority of our scans."

"Any sign they've detected us?"

"Negative sir."

"Hmm," Jankowski muttered thoughtfully before allowing a small grin to show on his face. He had an opportunity here to show those at Alliance Command who didn't like him that he deserved to be here, deserved to command _Prometheus_. He knew what he was thinking about wasn't technically in his orders but he doubted anyone would complain if what he planned worked as he believed it would.

"Move us in closer," he ordered after a moment.

"Sir?" Chaffin questioned looking at his commanding officer in surprise.

"I said move us in closer commander," Jankowski repeated. "Is something wrong with your hearing?"

"No sir its just our orders are to avoid…"

"Our orders are to bring back information on the Minbari and that's just what we are going to do, commander," Jankowski interrupted before his second could finish. "What we have here looks like a border patrol group, if we can get closer and get a profile on some Minbari warships command will be very pleased and will hand out medals by the bucket. We handled the Turians when they attacked us at Shanxi, we handled the Dilgar I'm sure we can handle a few stray Minbari ships. Now move us in closer."

Chaffin scowled he didn't like this one bit. Something about this just felt wrong but he couldn't put his finger on what it was that felt so bad about it. Noticing Jankowski staring at him and unwilling to be relieved of duty for disobedience he sighed to himself.

"Aye sir," he said at last and tapped the holographic keys relaying the order to the helmsman and to the other ships of the task force.

"Relax commander nothing is going to happen," Jankowski said confidently leaning back in his chair.

"Yes sir."

* * *

**Minbari War Cruiser Valen'tha**

**That Same Time**

Satai Delenn was sure that she was still somewhat numb as she arrived in her spacious quarters aboard the heavily modified Shagotti-class war cruiser that served as the Grey Council's home amid the great sea of stars. As calmly as she could she slowly slipped off the obscuring grey hoods of the station she had formally been inducted into twenty minutes earlier before picking up a lighter and pointing it at her meditation candles before the triluminary shrine on the wall. A slim line of light leapt from the device – touching the wick of the first candle immediately lightning it. She repeated the process with the other two candles before putting the lighter down and preparing to begin a meditation on the day's events.

A soft knock at her door caught her attention and she looked over to see Dukhat himself standing in the doorway and a small smile graced her face at the sight of her mentor and sponsor. If it hadn't been for Dukhat taking her under his wing she wouldn't be in the position she was now as one of the youngest in history to become a member of the Grey Council – the great institution set up by Valen himself to end all the inter-caste warfare that had so ravaged Minbar in the time before the great leader came.

"I was just on my way to sleep," Dukhat explained as he stepped into the room. "I wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm fine thanks to you," Delenn replied with a warm smile, "everything I am, everything I will ever be I owe to you."

"I'm not so sure about that," Dukhat answered looking at his protégé calmly, wondering if he should tell her what he knew of the great destiny that seemed to be before her as he was sure she was the one Valen had hinted at in some of his last prophecies before he went to the sea. "You would have become a member of the council eventually, Delenn. I knew that the moment I first met you."

Delenn blinked and wasn't sure how to respond to her mentors words. So she changed the topic with easy skill to something from the ceremony that had been bothering her ever since it had happened.

"Master if I may," she said. "I was thinking of the triluminary when I touched it the triluminary glowed. From your expression I guess it hasn't done that before."

"I will answer that question in a moment. But first tell me what do you know about the triluminaries, Delenn?"

"Only that they are our most holy relics, gifts from Valen himself."

Dukhat nodded, he'd expected that answer as it was one every Minbari no matter the caste knew but it was only part of the truth of the triluminary. "The triluminaries come from a time far into our past," he confirmed, "but there is also a rumour that they came from a time far into our future. The fact that one reacted to you in the way that it did merely confirmed something that I have suspected for quite sometime."

Delenn frowned and was about to ask the council's leader what he meant by that when a trilling alarm began to sound throughout the _Valen'tha_. Delenn's eyes widened as she recognised the alarm from drills as a call for all personnel to assume their stations. It was one level below a full blown battle alert and indicated the something had happened, something that required the crew to gather to deal with it.

"Strange," Dukhat commented frowning. "Come we should go to the Council chambers."

With that Dukhat turned and left the room, Delenn herself took a moment to blow out her candles before putting up her hood and following him. As protocol demanded she moved slowly through the corridors of the _Valen'tha_ even as around her worker, warrior and religious class crewmembers scrambled at attend their duty stations. Through all the controlled chaos she moved like a grey ghost and with a calmness that she didn't really feel but put on for the sake of the crew as members of the Grey Council could never been seen to be in a hurry to get anywhere.

Beneath her hood Delenn was deep in thought wondering what exactly was happening. She had a feeling that it was something truly momentous, something that was going to have a profound affect on the Minbari as a people. What that something was she had no idea but she just knew that something was about to happen – though whether it be good or ill she couldn't say.

She was so deep in thought that she almost didn't notice that she'd arrived in the tactical centre that doubled as the Grey Council's chambers only a few paces behind Dukhat. She did notice however that the holographic display was active making it seem like the Council was standing in the void of space.

"What is it," Dukhat asked firmly as Delenn moved to her place among the other two religious caste members.

"We detected these alien ships approaching our space," Satai Morann of the warrior caste replied moving aside slightly so Dukhat and the rest of the Council could see the interlopers clearly.

Six alien vessels hung there in the great void of space. They were sleek ships, elongated delta shapes that hinted a great speed and contained power. The hulls were a strange greyish-white colour almost like the colour of bone with some blue and red highlights here and there. Strange markings adorned the hulls. And though even the largest was considerable smaller than the _Valen'tha_, they were obviously warships going on the very visible weapons arrays that they mounted. Delenn was stunned as she saw them, she recognised them from Anla'shok reports she'd read.

"I've never seen ships or markings like those before," Dukhat commented moving a little closer to examine the ships more closely, "who are they?"

"I believe they are the Terrans," Delenn replied and explained as Dukhat turned to look at her. "I have been investigating them on my own. The design of these six warships matches those mentioned in the reports forwarded to me by the Anla'shok."

Dukhat stiffened as Delenn spoke. The Vorlons in his sanctum had spoken to him extensively about the humans or Terrans as they were officially called. They had told him in no uncertain terms that they were essential for the coming Great War against the Shadows, that the Minbari would have to unite with them or all would be destroyed. He'd been so motivated by the Vorlons counsel that he'd even brought the issue up of contacting them but the Council – smug in the arrogance and complacency that had settled like an all smothering shroud on their people – had ultimately voted against it.

Now it appeared the universe had taken the matter out of the Council's hands.

"We are moving to intercept them before they get across the border. They have tried to contact us," Morann continued, "but we do not understand their language. As is our custom we are approaching with gun ports open."

Dukhat whirled towards the warrior in alarm. "By whose order," he demanded knowing that approaching unknown alien vessels with weapons displayed could easily be interpreted as a threat.

"Master that is the tradition of the warrior caste," Morann explained with an inward frown, he could see that Dukhat was worried by it but he couldn't understand why, "a gesture of strength and respect. They can see our weapons and see that we approach them open handed."

"Honoured Satai's we're picking up massive power fluctuations on one of the alien ships," a voice reported from the _Valen'tha's_ bridge.

Dukhat's eyes widened and he looked back at the holographic in time to see one of the smaller Terran ships suddenly drop out of formation with its engines and running lights flickering. After a moment a jet of white-hot plasma crackling with blue electromagnetic arcs abruptly shot out of somewhere near the ships stern – pushing the vessel to starboard with the inertia of the plasma jet. Smaller control thrusters abruptly glowed blue as they engaged to compensate for the sudden wayward thrust.

Delenn also watched the display in concern as while she wasn't a worker she knew a jet of plasma like that could only be triggered by an emergency shutdown of a fusion power plant to prevent the plasma escaping containment and burning through reactor housing – an event that would be catastrophic for any ship. Minbari cruisers had similar emergency plasma venting procedures for the event of something going wrong with the fusion reactors that they used to supplement the power output of the main quantum gravitic reactor. Abruptly something else on the display caught her attention and she focused on it, only for her eyes to widen in horror at what she saw.

"Master look," she exclaimed pointing at the section of the display in question. Dukhat followed her gaze and saw three small ships approaching, ships that every Minbari was uncomfortably familiar with, ships that war cruisers had standing orders to destroy on sight.

"Soul Hunters," he growled.

"Soul Hunters come only when there is great death," Delenn reminded him grimly.

Stiffening again this time in horror as he realised what was about to happen Dukhat whirled on Morann again. "Close the gun ports," he ordered hoping against hope to prevent a violent and needless clash between them and the Terrans. Morann opened his mouth to respond but before any sound could emerge there came a deep, rumbling boom and the ship rocked violently knocking everyone in the council chamber off their feet.

A second blast followed a moment later, violently shaking the ship again; this time the blast was followed by deeper rumbles as secondary explosions occurred on board. Around the stunned Grey Council the holographic display flickered and vanished as the shockwave of a third blast rippled through the ship.

"Delenn do you know the Terran language," Dukhat asked as he struggled to pick himself up off the shaking deck.

"I do master," Delenn replied awkwardly getting to her feet a moment before a forth blast slammed into the ship making the whole cruiser groan and shake violently with the shockwave. _Why aren't our stealth systems protecting us,_ she thought as the sounds of additional secondary explosions rippled through the ship but then realised that at this close a range the Terrans could use visual targeting which was unaffected by the stealth systems which could only block electronic sensors not the good old mark one eyeball.

"Good come with me," Dukhat answered knowing they needed to stop this before it went any further. Without waiting for Delenn to respond he hurried out of the chamber and emerged into a scene of total chaos as the corridor was thick with smoke from the fires that were no doubt burning in many parts of the ship. Debris from a blown out bulkhead littered the deck and from all around he could hear the screams of wounded, the wail of alarms, shouted orders and the sounds of panic.

He took a moment to glance back to see that Delenn was indeed behind him. "This way we must hurry," he said moving into the chaotic scene and heading for the bridge. Delenn followed closely, carefully picking her way across the debris strewn deck and doing her best to ignore the fact that around her a great many of her fellow Minbari were dead or injured.

The two of them had only got a handful of metres from the Council Chamber when a fifth blast slammed into the ship and the _Valen'tha_ shook so violently that they were both pitched to the floor. Unlike with the last blast the shaking didn't immediately ease instead it continued and from all around Delenn heard the shriek of metal bending and tearing under some tremendously powerful force. From overhead there came a series of snapping sounds and she shrieked in fear and surprise as a chunk of shattered conduit insulation impacted and bounced off her legs with stinging force. She reflexively started to curl into a ball to protect herself from the rain of debris. Faintly she heard a cry of pain from Dukhat but she dare not move as the ship continued shaking and debris continued to fall around her.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity the shaking and rain of debris stopped and Delenn uncurled herself before looking over at Dukhat. She gasped in horror at what she saw and crawled over to where her mentor lay pinned under fallen metal sheeting, shattered conduits and a broken support girder. Dukhat's eyes were closed and blood was trickling from the side of his mouth – a sure sign of internal injuries.

With strength she didn't know she had Delenn started shovelling the debris off Dukhat with her bare hands. "Help me, somebody help me," she screamed into the chaos but no one heard her as she continued to move the debris off Dukhat, her mentors eyes opened and he gasped. Delenn stopped what she was doing and looked down at her master to see his eyes clouded with pain and the certainty of death.

"Delenn," Dukhat gasped weakly ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest and abdomen. He was dying he could feel it and he accepted it. But first he needed Delenn to know, needed her to understand and stop there people going to war with the Terrans over his death. A war that would only benefit the returning Shadows. "There was… another reason for your… selection," he broke off as agony stabbed through his chest. "Your heritage you are a child of Valen," his voice dropped to such a weak whisper that Delenn couldn't hear the last part of his statement over the screaming of alarms and the ongoing rumbles of internal explosions.

Leaning in Delenn tried to hear what her mentor was saying to her, but all she heard was a deathly gurgling sound as Dukhat drowned in his own blood. His body shuddered once then went limp as the life light fled his eyes…

… and Delenn howled in a voice that she didn't recognise as her own as it contained such pain, grief and anger. It wasn't the cry of someone who had just lost a very close and dear friend; it wasn't even the cry of someone who had lost someone who was deeply loved like a second father. It was the cry of a lost soul.

* * *

**TSV Prometheus**

**Four Minutes Earlier**

Alan Chaffin frowned in concern when the scanner readouts of the two Minbari dreadnoughts and the small group of ships around them changed. The Minbari ships were slowing down and turning, coming onto a heading that would intercept the task force in the neutral space just before the border.

"Sir alien vessels have changed course," he reported looking over at Jankowski. "There now moving towards us on an intercept course they must have seen us. Intercept in one minute thirty seconds."

"Okay that's it lets not push our luck," Jankowski replied hoping command would be happy with the information there sensors had been able to gather about the Minbari vessels. It wasn't much just a basic and sketchy silhouette and a dark energy flux that seemed to come from somewhere inside the vessel. "Commander contact all ships. Tell them to come about and prepare to jump to FTL speeds."

Alan nodded and was about to carry out the order when an alert flashed up on his screen. "We're being aggressively scanned by the Minbari," he reported before movements on the surface of the two capital ships caught his attention. "Sir alien ships have opened gun ports."

"Are they preparing to fire," Jankowski asked urgently.

"I can't tell sir," Alan replied. "Alien scanners are extremely powerful I can't get clear readings on their tactical systems."

"We can't take any chances, sound battle stations. Communications contact the Minbari tell them 'we mean no harm'," Jankowski ordered as alarms began to wail throughout the ship, sending crew scrambling out of there bunks, out of head, mess halls and recreational rooms to their combat stations. "Commander relay the order to withdraw to the other ships."

"Aye sir."

"Captain urgent communication from the _Gorgon_," the young woman at communications called out alarm in her voice, "Captain Thomas reports that they're experiencing massive technical failure with their number two fusion generator and they are initiating an emergency plasma vent."

Jankowski's eyes widened and he looked at the main holoscreen – in time to see a brilliant spear of plasma erupt from the starboard emergency vents of the stricken destroyer as powerful magnetic fields evacuated the contents of the failing generators reaction chamber to space before the containment fields failed and the plasma burned through to flash ignite atmosphere in the engineering compartments. Hazy blue ions erupted into space as the stricken frigates manoeuvring thrusters engaged to counter the wayward thrust of the plasma venting.

_How the hell did that happen,_ he thought wondering what had gone wrong on the frigate to cause the generator to malfunction to the point where an emergency scram and plasma vent had to be carried out? After a moment his eyes narrowed in suspicion, it couldn't be a coincidence that the problem on the _Gorgon_ had occurred just after being scanned by the Minbari. The mysterious aliens could have caused the plasma overload with somekind of weapon, something they couldn't see. Something that the entire task force would be vulnerable to should the Minbari use the weapon again.

"There not getting away with causing that," he said aloud.

"Sir," Chaffin asked looking over at his commanding officer.

"The Minbari they're not getting away with causing the plasma overload on the _Gorgon_," he said before tapping one of the small controls on the arm of his chair. "All ships this is fleet command open fire on the Minbari. I repeat open fire."

"But sir…." Chaffin started to counsel against guessing that the captain hadn't had chance to read this mornings systems status report from the _Gorgon_, a report that had indicated they were experiencing problems with the cooling systems of the number two fusion generator. The only influence the Minbari could have had on the system would be the electromagnetic spikes of their scanners causing the cooling systems to fail – which would have led to a sharp rise in core temperature and an emergency scram followed by a plasma vent to cool it down till repairs could be made.

"No buts commander," Jankowski said harshly as a faint shudder of recoil ran through the ship as the cruisers dual main mass accelerators and her plasma cannons opened fire on the Minbari at point blank range. "The Minbari attacked the _Gorgon_ and now they're going to pay for it."

"But the Minbari didn't attack sir," Chaffin replied as the holoscreen showed the other ships of the task force following there lead and opened fire on the Minbari with every weapon they had.

"What do you mean," Jankowski asked looking over at his second.

"It was in the systems status report from the _Gorgon_ this morning," Chaffin informed him. "They were experiencing problems with the cooling system for the number two fusion generator. The only influence the Minbari could have had would be the enhanced EM emissions from their scanners – it could have easily knocked the already faulty system off line."

"Are you saying it was an accident," Jankowski asked going pale as he realised what his first officer was saying. He hadn't read the system status report from the _Gorgon_ this morning before coming to the bridge he'd just closed it so he'd been completely unaware of the problem with the generator.

"Yes sir."

_Dear God what have I done,_ Jankowski thought before hurriedly tapping his controls again. "Fleet command to all ships hold your fire, repeat hold your fire," he ordered. "Status of the Minbari?"

Chaffin looked back at his screen and groaned at what he saw. The electronic interference from the cruisers stealth systems had vanished and the scanners were giving back clear readings, and what they showed was not encouraging.

"There escorting fighters have been destroyed. Both capital ships have taken multiple direct mass accelerator and plasma strikes sir," he reported. "I'm also picking up a dark energy residue on the larger of the two, my guess is they took one possibly two direct hits with disruptor torpedoes. Both ships are heavily damaged, reading massive power failures and multiple hull breaches. They're dead in the water and are sending out distress calls."

"Jesus," Jankowski breathed in horror though at the same time he was impressed that the Minbari capital ships were still intact after a point blank barrage from the main weapons of six Terran warships. Few ships could take that kind of firepower and survive for more than a few seconds. Even Asari dreadnoughts would struggle to withstand that kind of a beating if caught by surprise as the Minbari had been and a Turian dreadnought – even with full kinetic shields – would have been torn to pieces by the assault. It was a testament to the engineering skills of the Minbari that those two ships hadn't been blasted to scrap metal.

"Send a message to the Minbari," he ordered after a moment. "Explain to them what happened and apologise before asking do they require assistance. Send the message in Centauri."

"Aye sir," communications replied a moment before the sensors screamed a warning.

"Jump points forming," Chaffin called out. "Four more Minbari dreadnoughts approaching, we're being targeted."

"Hail them in Centauri," Jankowski ordered looking at the communications officer. "Tell them what happened."

"Aye sir," communications replied a millisecond before thick green particle beams erupted from the four newly arrived ships and smashed into both the _Gorgon_ and the _Medusa_, instantly both frigates crumpled and disintegrated into fireballs as the neutron beams passed through their kinetic shields like they weren't there to slice the thinly armoured ships apart.

"Any response from the Minbari," Jankowski asked.

"Negative sir they're ignoring us."

"Shit. All ships withdraw immediately get us out of here. Weapons fire torpedoes at the new ships to cover our retreat."

"Aye sir."

* * *

In unison the four surviving Terran warships began to turn about away from the two listing Minbari ships and the four fully armed and vengeful warships that had answered their distress calls. A spread of glowing blue disruptor torpedoes erupted from the _Prometheus_ and streaked towards the new ships.

The four Sharlin-class war cruisers immediately began firing their fusion beam cannons at the incoming torpedoes picking them off one by one. Despite the storm of defensive fire ten torpedoes broke through only for nine to fly wide, tracking systems thrown off by the Minbari stealth systems.

The tenth torpedo smashed into the starboard primary weapons fin of the war cruiser _Trigati_ and detonated sending the purple-blue glow of rapidly shifting mass effect fields over the fin. Polycrystalline armour attacked at the molecular level by the shifting fields of dark energy cracked and splintered sending shards spinning into space. One of the fins dual fusion beam cannons exploded as the shifting fields tore apart its internal mechanisms just as the beam was about to fie – the blast tore apart the top front third of the fin only to be followed by an even larger explosion as rupturing power conduits tore apart the entire front third of the fin. The _Trigati_ visibly lurched to starboard with the impact, the neutron and fusion beams from its port and main forward batteries going wide as a result missing the withdrawing Terran ships by a hundreds of metres.

Then the Terran ships glowed blue for a moment then shot forward leaving behind fading blue trails as they're tore away from the Minbari at FTL speed.

* * *

**Minbari War Cruiser Trigati**

Shai Alyt Sineval groaned as he picked himself up off the floor of the bridge where he'd been flung when the alien torpedo had struck the side of the ship.

"What was that," he demanded.

"Shai Alyt the alien torpedo created somekind of spatial distortion as it detonated against our primary starboard weapons fin," one the warriors tasked with damage control reported, "the front third of the fin is completely gone. We have electrical fires in starboard sections ten, eleven and twelve on deck ten. The blast must have overwhelmed the circuit breakers and blown out the power lines to the fin. Fire control crews responding."

"Keep me informed."

"Yes, Shai Alyt."

"Where are the enemy ships? Have we destroyed them already," Sineval asked noticing that the cruiser was no longer firing, neither were the other three who'd raced to the aid of the stricken _Valen'tha_ and _Ingata_ after the unprovoked attack.

"They've disappeared Shai Alyt," sensors reported. "According to our scans they accelerated to trans-light velocities without opening a jump point into hyperspace."

"Faster than light in normal space? How in Valen's name is that possible?" Sineval asked incredulous though he was a warrior not a scientist he knew that faster than light travel in normal space was supposed to be impossible, no one known to the Minbari, not even the Vorlons had shown the ability to travel at FTL speeds in normal space.

"Unknown Shai Alyt."

"It will give the scientists something to think about at least," Sineval said. "Prepare to send aide parties over to the _Valen'tha_ and the _Ingata._"

"Yes Shai Alyt."

"Shai Alyt we're detecting three Soul Hunter ships on approach to the _Valen'tha,_" sensors called out.

"Destroy them."

* * *

**Minbari War Cruiser Valen'tha**

**That Same Time**

Delenn sobbed hysterically as she cradled Dukhat's lifeless body in her arms. She couldn't believe that the universe had allowed this to happen, had allowed what had been the happiest day of her life so far to become marred with Dukhat's death, no his murder.

"Delenn," a familiar voice called out, Delenn looked up to see Satai Coplann approaching only to stop dead in his tracks when he caught sight of Dukhat's lifeless body. A surge of grief and rage gripped him and it was only through sheer force of will that he didn't collapse to his knees and break into alternative tears of grief and cries of rage. Through the same force of will he spoke the message he'd been tasked by the rest of the Council to relay to Delenn and Dukhat – though the latter was now far beyond hearing.

"Delenn we need to strike back but the Council is divided," he explained. "Do we attempt to find the Terran base and take revenge, or do we wait and try to find out what exactly happened here. What led to these events and Dukhat's death. Yours is the deciding vote Delenn."

Delenn looked down at her mentor's lifeless body and felt only rage, rage at the Terrans for causing his death and a desire for revenge, for blood. The rational part of her mind screamed at her to stop and think and remember that these events had been caused by misunderstandings on both sides but for the first time in her life she ignored rationality. All she wanted now was vengeance.

"He was the best of us," she said softly, "they struck without provocation, there was no reason. Animals, brutal barbarians," she stood up and advanced towards Coplann her face a mask of pain and rage, "they deserve no mercy. Strike them down, follow them to their base and kill all of them, all of them. No mercy."

Coplann nodded and left to relay both the news of Dukhat's death and Delenn's vote to the rest of the Grey Council. Delenn for her part stood there and struggled to pull herself back together, there would be time to grief for Dukhat later. Right now she needed to focus and she embraced her rage to allow her to do that. She knew that avenging Dukhat would be costly but it had to be done, justice demanded it. There was much to prepare, much to organise to secure that justice.

For the first time in a thousand years the Minbari were going to go to war.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

**TSV Vesuvius**

**Four Days Later**

Ambassador David Sheridan sat in thoughtful silence in the large VIP stateroom he'd been assigned aboard the _Vesuvius_ as the mighty Rapier-class dreadnought and the squadron of frigates assigned to escort her sped towards the Minbari border at maximum FTL speed. A holographic screen floating a few inches in front of his face detailed all the information the Alliance had on the Minbari – which was basically all the Centauri and a handful of the older League species like the Yolu and Markab knew about the powerful but largely isolationist aliens. The information had been provided by shaken ambassadors in the aftermath of the incident with the _Prometheus_ and the Minbari warships a few days ago, along with the fervent prayers of the ambassadors in question that he was successful in the mission the president had hurriedly assigned him. The mission to apologise for what had happened and make peace with the Minbari before the unthinkable happened and they went to war.

At the thought of war David shivered slightly. Thanks in no small part to the Dilgar he had seen enough of war in his life to know it was something truly awful that bred only pain and misery. And a war with the Minbari promised to be even more bloody than the Dilgar War had been as the Minbari were technologically and militarily far more powerful than the Dilgar had been at they're height. It was something he would do his best to prevent happening – especially as he had no desire to potentially loose his beloved son to the Minbari.

"But am I going to be in time to prevent war," he muttered to himself as he scanned the limited information on the Minbari once again. It was not encouraging as while the information indicated that the Minbari as a people weren't generally quick to anger but once angered they took a very long time to cool off and couldn't always be reasoned with until such time as they'd calmed down enough to think clearly. _In that regard they sound somewhat like the Krogan,_ he thought, _except the Krogan get pissed at even the slightest thing. And getting Krogan to be reasonable at the best of times is not that easy. I just hope its not the same with the Minbari, though they have every right to be angry over what happened the other day._

He was well aware of the fact that similar thoughts had occurred to many in Alliance Command. Indeed Fleet Admiral Hackett and General Lefcourt had persuaded the president to authorise increased alertness especially in the border areas raising the Alliances general alert level to Defcon 3. Which he was certain was going to raise eyebrows across the galaxy.

_No doubt the Citadel Council will give Anita an earful about us suddenly raising our alert level_, he thought feeling a twinge of sympathy for his long term colleague and friend Anita Goyle who had the –somewhat unenviable task – of being the Alliance representative on the Citadel. It wasn't the easiest of jobs – especially as the Turians were still sore over the Shanxi Incident or the 'Slaughter at Shanxi' as they called it especially as it had been the worst single defeat for the Turian Hierarchy in over a thousand years. The fact that the whole 'slaughter' had been the Turians fault in the first place – they had after all attacked Alliance vessels without warning or provocation and tried to conquer one of their worlds – was immaterial as far as the Hierarchy was concerned, they're pride had been stung by the loss of so many warships, including the _Demarius_ one of their finest dreadnoughts, in just half hour of bloody starship combat over Shanxi.

The bleep of the door hailer caught his attention and he looked over. "Come in," he called out loud enough for the pickup by the door to hear him and trigger the door to open. The door opened and a painfully young marine came in. "Yes?"

"Sorry to disturb you ambassador but Captain Turner would like me to escort you to CIC," the marine answered. "She says its urgent."

David raised an eyebrow wondering why Captain Yvonne Turner wanted to see him right now in the CIC. By his reckoning they were still an hour from the region of space claimed by the Minbari Federation. "Did she give any idea why she wants me," he asked getting to his feet and moving closer to the marine. Up close to the younger man he couldn't help but feel somewhat like a dwarf as the marine towered over him by a good seven inches and had about a hundred pounds on him.

"She said it had something to do with the Minbari sir. Our long range sensors are apparently detected tachyon signals on the frequency bands we were told the Minbari use close to the edge of our territory. We've adjusted course to intercept the source of the signals…"

"And the captain wants me in the CIC when we drop out of FTL," David finished for him.

"Yes sir."

"Very well then lead on," David replied. The marine nodded and turned away before leading the way out of the quite spacious quarters. David followed a few paces behind all the while thinking about why the Minbari had come out of their territory as by all accounts it was not their normal practice.

The only answer he could think of for the change in their behaviour chilled him. The Minbari were scouting, finding safe routes into Alliance space and setting up beacons to enable them to navigate the other space that local species referred to as hyperspace. It would be necessary for the Minbari to take such action if they were planning to launch an attack as there were very few hyperspace beacons and jump gates inside Alliance space and those that there were, were located along the main shipping lanes between the Alliance, its neighbours and to hubs in Alliance space where local races traded with those from Citadel Space. All such areas were heavily patrolled by warships achieving surprise and amassing a large enough force to cause major damage anywhere near those areas without being detected would be virtually impossible.

_Maybe I still have time to prevent this situation degenerating any further,_ he thought as he followed the marine into a transport tube that immediately began moving towards the ships central core where CIC and all vital areas were located surrounded by as much armour as possible, where they were safe from all but mortal blows. He hoped the Minbari didn't fire upon the _Vesuvius_ and her escorts immediately and would at least listen when they tried to talk to them.

He supposed only time would tell.

* * *

**Minbari War Frigate Dark Lance**

**That Same Time**

Alyt Yaten sighed softly in boredom as she stepped back onto the bridge of her Tinashi-class war frigate after quickly a brief rest to have food. For two days now the _Dark Lance_ and two companion frigates _Shining Pulsar_ and _Valen's Fire_ had been scouting out the borders of Terran space, laying the ground work for the Minbari's retribution for Dukhat's brutal murder to begin. Indeed she had been honoured when she'd been given the orders by the warrior caste elders but in the last two days that sense of honour had faded replaced with mind numbing boredom as they went about the laborious process of charting local hyperspace and deploying beacons to allow navigation.

Not for the first time Yaten wondered just how the Terrans actually got around their territory. Data from the Anla'shok had confirmed that there were very few hyperspace beacons or jump gates active inside the known borders of the Terran Systems Alliance. Certainly there were far fewer than there should have been for a spacefaring nation of the apparent size and technological level of the Terrans – yet there wasn't.

Which meant there were only two real possibilities – either Terran sensors and navigational systems were a lot more advanced than those of the Minbari and most other known species and which while unusual that would not be impossible. Alternatively though there was the possibility that the rumours flying around the warrior caste ranks were true. That the Terrans had somehow discovered away to do what her people had long thought impossible and that was travel at faster than light velocities in normal space without spatial relativity getting in the way.

Privately Yaten hoped it was the former and not the latter. If it were the latter then fighting the Terrans and bringing them to justice for firing on the Grey Council without warning or provocation and in the process killing Dukhat would be a lot more difficult and time consuming than anyone would like. At the thought of Dukhat's murder Yaten felt her blood boil with seething rage and unspeakable grief. Similar sentiments had swept across all of Minbar and for one of the few times in history all three castes had unanimously agreed on something. And that something was the Terrans would pay for their crime – with their lives.

Sudden crystalline sounding bleeps and trills from the sensor station to her right and behind brought her back to the present with a jolt. "What is it," she demanded to know rotating her command chair to look at the warrior assigned to monitor the sensors.

"Alyt sensors have picked up a large dark energy signature approaching our location," the warrior replied. "The concentration is travelling at extremely high speed, hundreds of times that of light and appears to be on a direct course towards us."

"Time to intercept," Yaten asked calmly.

"Two minutes, eighteen seconds," the officer answered.

"Interesting," Yaten said softly as she recalled one of the cruisers who'd answered the frantic distress calls of the _Valen'tha_ and _Ingata_ had detected dark energy spikes from the Terran ships before they'd vanished – fleeing Minbari retribution for their attack. If the rumours of the Terrans real space FTL capabilities were true then could dark energy have something to do with it? "Call all personnel to battle stations, open gun ports and energise all weapons and prepare the Niall's for launch. Advise the other two ships to do the same."

"Alyt?" her second in command questioned in surprise.

"Do it. If I'm right about this approaching dark energy mass then the Terrans are about to pay us a visit and I want to be ready if they do. We may get the chance to be the ones to strike the first blows of vengeance against the barbarians yet."

"Yes, Alyt," the second replied and in his voice Yaten heard an odd combination of doubt and glee as he turned and started operating his console. The trilling call to battle stations began to sound throughout the _Dark Lance_ and all over the nine hundred metre long Tinashi-class war frigate crew members instantly reacted. Warriors raced to man weapons systems and fighters, religious caste members moved to sickbay ready to tend any wounded in the unlikely event that they took casualties, while workers manned damage control positions and brought both the main quantum gravitic reactor and the fusion reactors to full power to charge up the neutron cannons and fusion beams of the frigates main armament.

"Energy mass now thirty seconds out," sensors reported as additional personnel flooded onto the bridge to man auxiliary consoles. "Speed decreasing. Thirty four seconds to intercept. I have projected the point where the mass will appear."

"Show me," Yaten ordered looking at the front of the bridge just as the holographic field coalesced into existence showing a seemingly empty patch of normal space.

"Intercept in twelve seconds," sensors reported and Yaten metaphorically held her breath wondering if she'd been right. "Ten seconds… nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… three… two… one."

As the other warrior spoke Yaten kept her eyes focused on the holographic display just in time to see space momentarily shiver and then suddenly ships appeared, a faint purple-blue glow around their hulls for a moment before fading away. And at the sight of them Yaten felt a spike of both glee and concern – glee because the sleek elongated delta-shapes and greyish-white hulls revealed that there makers were indeed Terran. But concern when she realised she was outnumbered two to one – with one of the six Terran warships being almost as big length wise as a Sharlin-class war cruiser but broader at least twice as wide as the five smaller ships were long.

"Alyt we're being hailed by the lead Terran vessel," communications reported. "Message is in both Interlac and Centauri."

"What are they saying," Yaten asked though she couldn't really care what the Terrans were saying, she had her orders. Orders that were to attack any Terran warships on sight.

"That they want to talk to us about the events of four days ago. They profusely apologise for the unfortunate incident between their ships and ours and are willing to discuss terms for the situation to be diplomatically resolved to the satisfaction of all concerned."

Yaten growled slightly in both anger and outrage. An unfortunate incident is that all the Terrans thought their unprovoked attack on the _Valen'tha_ was? Did they have no clue what they had done? The crime they had committed against their betters? Did they really think they could just say sorry for Dukhat's death and not pay a price in blood for what they'd done? Whatever the Terrans believed it didn't matter – there fate was already as good as sealed in the eyes of the Minbari people.

"Then we will answer them appropriately," she snarled. "Ignore the communication. Target the lead ship and open fire. Launch fighters."

"Yes Alyt."

Yaten watched the holographic display as with a faint thrum of power through the ship their three forward neutron beam cannons sent green javelins of energy at the Terran flagship intent on eviscerating it. What happened next shocked her speechless for as the beams reached the Terran vessel a glowing purplish-blue translucent energy field appeared and the beams seemed to break up somewhat – arcs of emerald light shooting off the field or crackling along it in lightning like forks.

Some of the beam did visibly penetrate the energy field – which could only be somekind of defensive force field – to hit the hull but to Yaten's mounting shock they seemingly did nothing beyond making the ship noticeably tremble. The beams certainly didn't immediately cut through it and come out the other side as Minbari weapons had always done to the other younger races ships in the past.

"In Valen's name," she breathed in disbelief as the beams shut off and the glowing energy barrier around the Terran ship faded, revealing only minor carbon scoring on its armour. _How did they withstand our weapons like that,_ she thought, _no younger race has ever been able to do that before._

"Another message from the Terrans Alyt," communications reported. "They're asking us to hold our fire that they are here on a mission of peace. They're also warning that if we fire on them again they will return fire and destroy us."

"Energy surges on the Terran ships Alyt," sensors added. "They're powering up their weapons systems and opening gun ports."

"A pointless gesture they couldn't see us to fire back, they're just bluffing," Yaten replied confident that the stealth systems would protect the _Dark Lance_ from the admittedly powerful weapons the Terrans possessed. _Like they protected the __Valen'tha__ and the __Ingata__ don't underestimate the Terrans and assume stealth is going to be effective against them, _a part of her mind reminded her. She ignored that parts words of caution as she glared at the Terran warships hanging silent in space, practically daring the Minbari to fire upon them again.

"Fire again," she ordered.

"Yes Alyt."

* * *

The _Dark Lance's_ neutron cannons lashed out at the _Vesuvius _again and as before impacted and were partially defocused by the dreadnoughts powerful kinetic barriers with sixty percent of the beams neutrons being refracted back out into space by the repulsive mass effect field. The remaining portion of the beam energy impacted the ships armour and began to slowly heat it up as they endeavoured to cut through to the hull metal beneath the thick plates of ablative metalloceramic alloy.

Immediately the dreadnought retaliated as the large plasma cannon and pulse laser turrets of its close range armaments swivelled around and fired a viscous barrage of blue and red bolts right at the offending Minbari frigate. Most of the bolts missed the Minbari vessel as the tracking systems were thrown off by the ships stealth systems – however several plasma bolts smashed into the frigates main body with searing white hot force. Polycrystalline armour glowed white hot at the points of impact as the intense heat and kinetic force of the plasma bolts partially shattered the matrix of the crystal while simultaneously subjecting it to temperatures found more normally in the heart of a star. The kinetic force of the impact rattled through the whole of the Tinashi-class frigate making the whole ship ring like a giant bell and knocking startled Minbari off their feet.

A second volley of plasma and laser bolts along with a full salvo of disruptor torpedoes erupted from the _Vesuvius_ and streaked towards the _Dark Lance_. As with the first volley most of the barrage of fire missed however three blasts of plasma and two bolts of laser fire slammed into the hull. Already weakened sections of armour ruptured letting the superheated plasma and laser bolts drill into the more vulnerable metal underneath. A pair of disruptor torpedoes homing in on the thermal spikes created by molten polycrystalline material spewing into space slammed into the exposed metal hull and detonated, sending the blue glow of rapidly shifting high and low mass effect fields over the hull. Under attack from the molecular level the normally highly durable Minbari simple metal and the hull support struts beneath it simply tore apart, sending hypervelocity fragments through the thinner inner hull into the interior of the ship exposing dozens of compartments to space.

The force of venting atmosphere acted like a crude thruster and physically shoved the _Dark Lance_ to port as atmosphere, bodies and loose debris spewed into space from the gash ripped in the hull. A third volley of plasma cannon fire smashed into the _Dark Lance_ even as the frigates main power supply flickered. The barrage cut through the weakened remaining armour and the hull beneath to flood dozens of compartments on several decks with superheated material, triggering a barrage of secondary explosions throughout the _Dark Lance_ and sending the Minbari vessel tumbling helplessly completely out of control trailing blazing atmosphere, glittering radiation and half molten debris as its main power supply died taking with it manoeuvring controls, weapons and stealth systems.

The two remaining Tinashi-class frigates came out of their stunned surprise at seeing a Minbari warship crippled so easily and began firing themselves with immense fury – the crews determined to avenge their dead and injured colleagues on the _Dark Lance_ as well as wishing to strike a blow against those who'd taken Dukhat from them. Green neutron beams and yellow green fusion beams lanced out from their weapons arrays while a small number of the tri-winged Niall fighters launched from their hanger bays and began vectoring towards the Terran warships.

* * *

**Combat Information Centre**

**TSV Vesuvius**

"One enemy target disabled ma'am," one of the tactical officers reported to Captain Yvonne Turner where she stood with Ambassador Sheridan at the main situation table. "Remaining two enemy ships are launching fighters and engaging our frigates."

"Launch our own fighters to intercept the Minbari," Yvonne ordered with a glance at flight operations before turning her full attention back to the situation table – or rather the tactical hologram of the battle space floating above it just in time to see one of the rapidly manoeuvring frigates flash brilliant red and vanish from the display indicating it had been destroyed.

"We just lost the _Reliant,_" another tactical officer reported. "Their barriers did nothing to stop the Minbari particle beams they're just too powerful for frigate scale barriers to affect to any meaningful degree."

"We will have to see if there is something we can do about that," Yvonne commented before looking at the hazy, distorted image of the two operational Minbari warships which from their size she would label as battlecruisers. The electronic stealth systems the Minbari were using were making it extremely difficult to land blows upon the vessels, the only way they could was aiming for the odd dark energy flux that Minbari capital ships seemed to put out and even that wasn't perfect as roughly only one in ten shots struck home.

"Maybe there is something we can do to improve that ratio," she muttered to herself a moment before the _Vesuvius_ shuddered violently as a pair of neutron beams tore at her hull, aiming to overpower the thick metalloceramic ablative armour covering the plasteel/carbotanium alloy hull. "Damage report," she ordered.

"Forward armour is loosing integrity in the outermost layers in sections six and seven on decks twelve through fourteen," damage control reported "kinetic barriers down to seventy percent capacity and draining at a rate of five percent every time we're hit."

"Divert all non-essential power to kinetic barrier generators," Yvonne ordered even as one of the Minbari frigates flashed brilliantly and staggered in space a dark energy aura enveloping one of its long fin-like projections as it took direct disruptor torpedo strikes. A moment later the fin literally broke off the ship like a rotten tooth and the Minbari vessel began a helpless corkscrewing motion along its Z-axis. _Are those fins part of the propulsion system,_ she wondered observing the display as the squadrons of Scorpion attack fighters launched from the _Vesuvius_ hanger bay pounded on the damaged battlecruiser ripple volleying three full salvos of disruptor rockets into its hull at point blank range.

Waves of dark energy swept over the wire frame image and the image began to bend and distort mimicking the contortions the shifting mass effect fields would be putting the actual ship through. After a few seconds the wire frame burst asunder and disintegrated in a haze of radiation distortion indicated that its power core had catastrophically breached under the torpedoes onslaught. However Yvonne felt no jubilation at the destruction of another Minbari warship as even as it disintegrated two more of her frigates vanished from the display.

"Alright enough of this," she said determined to end the battle before she lost anymore of her ships. "Navigation put us on a course to run parallel to the last operational Minbari warship. All lateral mass accelerator cannons and plasma turrets stand by to fire."

"Course plotted ma'am," navigation acknowledged a hint of glee in the officers voice knowing what the captain intended to do, what she intended to unleash on the last operational Minbari ship at close to point blank range.

"Lateral weapons standing by," a tactical officer added immediately.

"Execute."

* * *

At the rear of the _Vesuvius_ a small star seemed to flare into being as the dreadnoughts mighty proton/anti-proton main thrusters fired and the dreadnought began accelerating towards the last Minbari frigate. Noticing the move and fearing a possible ramming attack the remaining frigate _Valen's Fire_ began firing everything it had at the approaching vessel.

Neutron and fusion beams tore at the dreadnought and flayed at the armoured hull with every increasing force. Small plumes of molten metalloceramic alloy spewed into space as the beams began burning away the outermost layers of the armour. Yet the _Vesuvius_ paid it no mind as she advanced on the Minbari at ever increasing speed.

Minbari Niall fighters moved in to engage firing their neutron cannons only for the far lower power beams to defocus completely and fly apart upon impacting the dreadnoughts faltering barriers. Infuriated the pilots tried again only to begin frantically dodging as the ships CIWS and Interceptor systems opened up – unleashing a virtual torrent of plasma and laser fire upon them. Two Niall's were hit immediately and disintegrated into balls of hazy disassociated ions as the star core hot kiss of plasma literally tore them apart.

The rest pulled back as Minbari squadron commanders hurriedly began working out a new plan of attack. They didn't get long to think about it as fresh volleys of pulse laser and plasma fire tore into their formation as the remaining two Terran frigates and the fighters of the _Vesuvius_ engaged them at point blank range – forcing the warrior pilots to take frantic evasive action to avoid being destroyed. Not that it did much good as frigates were designed as fighter killers and began knocking Niall after Niall out of the sky with either lasers or plasma fire – the lower power stealth capabilities of the Niall fighters being completely unable to defeat the frigates sensors at close range meaning that almost every pulse hit home.

The _Vesuvius_ ignored the dogfight/massacre behind her and continued to close in upon the Minbari vessel and just before it settled onto an irreversible collision course the dreadnought changed its vector. The Tinashi frigate started to pass along the dreadnoughts starboard side the ships a scant few hundred kilometres apart…

…and the _Vesuvius_ opened fire. Each of the dreadnoughts seventy five starboard frigate sized mass accelerator cannons fired as they came to bare flinging five kilogram ferrous tungsten slugs at the _Valen's Fire_ at 0.75 percent of light speed. The barrage of glowing metal slugs crossed the distance almost instantly and impacted the _Valen's Fire_ with the energy of small nukes. Polycrystalline armour shattered like brittle glass under the enormous kinetic impact and hull metal bowed inwards and in some places tore. The aft drive fin took two direct strikes and didn't so much as snap off the hull as literally disintegrate into fragments under the enormous force it had been suddenly struck with.

Plasma bolts followed – flying into the deep gashes and holes blown in the hull of the _Valen's Fire_ and tearing right through bulkheads and impacting the quantum gravitic reactor at the core of the ship and obliterating its containment and control systems. Instantly under the pressure of normal space-time the artificial quantum singularity imploded, dumping all its potential energy into normal space at once in a single devastating blast of energy and radiation. For a few milliseconds the compromised hull of the frigate contained the massive energy wave before it burst outwards – tearing the once proud Minbari warship apart in a hurricane of energy that seemed to momentarily eclipse the light of the lifeless systems distant sun for luminosity. As the fireball faded all that remained of the _Valen's Fire_ was a plume of dust, half molten debris and cooling plasma.

* * *

**Combat Information Centre**

**TSV Vesuvius**

"Enemy warship destroyed ma'am," tactical reported.

"Yes I see it," Yvonne replied with a sad look on her face. She had really hoped she wouldn't have to destroy any Minbari vessels during this mission, that the Minbari would be sensible and accept their apology and offer of diplomatic talks to resolve any tension. But it appeared that fate had had other ideas as if this group of ships actions were anything to go by then the Minbari weren't interested in talking.

"Navigation move us back towards the first warship," she ordered. "Sensors scan them I want to know their status."

"Aye, aye ma'am."

"What the status of the enemy fighters?"

"They've all been destroyed, looks like they tried to attack the frigates keeping them off us and got massacred by their close in weapons."

"More sad waste of life," David Sheridan said speaking for the first time since the battle had begun.

"Indeed and I fear ambassador that relations with the Minbari are going to get a lot worse before they get better," Yvonne replied.

"It is very possible," David agreed. "Especially if all the Minbari are as unwilling to talk with anything but their weapons as this group were."

"Captain scans of the remaining Minbari vessel are complete," sensors reported. "The vessel has lost propulsion and main power however much of the vessel appears to be intact. There forward most compartments on the port side are open to space with collateral damage all over the ship. Other than that the vessel is largely airtight. Reading multiple life signs on board, the crew is still alive."

"Then we may yet get a chance to talk to some Minbari," Yvonne said. "Prepare boarding parties – I want the survivors from that ship. Make sure to send some engineers along see if we can get anything out of their computers."

"Aye, aye ma'am."

* * *

**Minbari War Frigate Dark Lance**

**A Few Moments Later**

Alyt Yaten stared at the spluttering but still somehow functional holographic display at the front of her shattered, smouldering bridge in sheer disbelief. Both the _Shining Pulsar_ and the _Valen's Fire_ were destroyed the latter torn from the sky by an incredible barrage of firepower from the largest Terran ship. The frigate had stood no chance against the barrage the Terrans had unleashed from their broadside kinetic energy weapons as well as their plasma turrets indeed Yaten doubted that even a mighty Sharlin would have weathered that kind of massive close range barrage certainly if it had survived it would have been very badly damaged if not completely crippled.

Staring at the spinning plumes of debris from the destroyed ships Yaten felt for the first time in her life a sense of true fear. The Terrans were powerful, far more so than anyone in the warrior caste had believed. Fighting them was going to be a very long, very bloody affair that would cost her caste dearly. But it had to be done; justice for Dukhat had to be gained no matter how many warriors had to give their lives in the process.

"Alyt sensors are picking up multiple boarding craft leaving the Terran flagship, they're vectoring towards us," sensors reported.

"It is not surprising they want to know more about us as we are now enemies," Yaten replied feeling as sense of peace. She knew what her duty was now, knew she could not let the _Dark Lance_ and all the secrets it contained fall into Terran hands. Calmly she tapped a code into the small controls on the arm of her chair before opening a comm. channel to the ship itself.

"Honour," she said giving the coded command to initiate the _Dark Lance's _self destruct countdown.

"Unable to execute command," the smooth voice of the ships A.I matrix responded. "Primary command sequencers are off line. Automatic self destruct unavailable, manual arming required."

Yaten swore softly under her breath. That was going to take awhile and would require her to go to engineering and manually arm the self destruct device. It was a journey that would normally be easy but conditions were far from normal considering the amount of damage the _Dark Lance_ had sustained.

With a sigh she opened a ship wide comm. channel. "Attention all personnel this is Alyt Yaten. Enemy boarding craft are on approach and our automatic self destruct systems are inoperative," she announced her voice echoing through the hull, "I will be heading to engineering to attempt manual self destruct activation, in the meantime prepare to repel boarders. That is all."

Immediately after signing off she stood up. "Satenn the bridge is yours," she said to her first officer. "Make sure the crew hold off the Terran boarding parties as long as possible and send a message to Minbar for the attention of Shai Alyt Branmer, advise him of what's happened."

"I will do, Alyt," Satenn responded. "And may I say it has been an honour serving with you."

"The honour has been mine, Satenn," Yaten replied as she went to a small arms locker near the back of the bridge and retrieved a denn'bok and a fusion blaster, just in case she had to fight her way to engineering. "The honour has been mine," she repeated and with that she hurriedly left the bridge to make the journey to engineering.

* * *

**Terran Boarding Craft Wisky-64**

**That Same Time**

Lieutenant Darrel York felt the butterflies of nerves fluttering about in his stomach as the marine boarding craft crossed the relatively short distance between the _Vesuvius_ and the disabled Minbari warship. Around him the rest of his squad looked to be equally nervous about the mission they had just been given – the mission to take the Minbari vessel.

Despite the fact that they were all clad head to toe in vacuum-rated combat hardsuits and each carrying a small arsenal on their backs Darrel knew they had good reason to be worried. None of them had ever engaged the Minbari in close quarters combat before and thus had no idea what to expect when they actually got aboard the Minbari vessel. The alien crew were bound to resist the invasion of their vessel as they wouldn't want any information or technology it contained to fall into his people's hands.

_Who knows what surprises they have waiting for us on that ship,_ he thought knowing from experience to be ready for anything. Though if the Minbari planned surprises for him and his particular squad then he could spring some surprises of his own back – he was after all a vanguard and if the Minbari were anything like most of the local races they would have absolutely no knowledge of biotics or what they could do.

The sound of the warning buzzer brought him out of his thoughts and made him sit up straighter in his seat as the buzzer indicated they were about to lock onto the hull of the Minbari vessel and begin cutting an access route through the hull. It was designed to tell the marines on the boarding craft it was time to get themselves ready to storm aboard the enemy vessel and begin doing what marines did best – killing or capturing the bad guys. Like all the other marines on board Darrel reacted by leaning forward and taking his assault rifle from his back and hitting the button on the side that made it unfold from its transport state ready to fire.

As the weapon finished unfolding a dull clang sounded through the craft as they latched onto the Minbari hull – followed by a whirring whining sound as the laser docking collar sliced into the hull to a depth of one and a half centimetres. After a few moments the whirring stopped and Darrel knew from experience to brace himself for what came next as he knew the heavily reinforced docking collar would be forcing explosive foam into the grove lasered into the hull, explosives that when detonated would blast a circular hole in the hull wide enough for two marines to easily pass through side by side.

"Stand by," Staff Commander Jay Hawks – the N7 in charge of the boarding party said. "I want two flash bangs tossed through the hole the moment we breach. York make ready with the biotics we might need them."

"Ready sir," Darrel acknowledged concentrating slightly on his nervous system and making a few very subtle pre-biotic muscle movements, sending a charge or electricity through the tumour like eezo nodules melded to his nervous system. A faint blue fog appeared around his body as his biotic aura manifested itself ready to unleash his powers on the Minbari. Calmly he stood up and moved to the hatch bringing his rifle into ready position and taking a grenade from his pouch and flicking the switch that set it to flash bang mode as opposed to the default concussion mode.

"Hold onto your helmets marines," the voice of the boarding crafts pilot said, "breaching now."

A thunderous roar echoed through the boarding craft and the ship shook hard as the breaching charge detonated, the specifically shaped charge created by the docking ring directing all the energy of the blast into the Minbari vessel, slicing through remaining armour and hull and blowing a two and a half metre access point into the interior of the vessel. Due to the nature of the blast all the shrapnel and smoke of the detonation was also forced into the interior with chunks of pulverised metal and polycrystalline armour slicing through the air like razor blades – cutting into the handful of Minbari warriors who'd moved to try and contain the boarding party.

The hatch in front of Darrel opened revealing the short tunnel blown into the smoky interior of the Minbari warship. He and the corporal standing next to him immediately threw their flash bangs, Darrel giving them a slight biotic push at the same time so they would go further away as he was well aware that the concussion and shrapnel of the breaching would have cleared any defenders from the immediate area of the hole. Two brilliant flashes of light – visible even from the interior of the boarding craft – and bursts of high frequency sound erupted as the grenades detonated, providing a few crucial stunning seconds for the marines to act.

Darrel and his compatriots didn't waste any of that time. Holding his assault rifle at the ready Darrel charged through the breach and got his first look at the interior of the Minbari vessel, which kind of reminded him of some Asari ships he'd been on in his time with some overtones of Centauri vessel interiors thrown in for good measure.

Two Minbari lay dead in pools of very human looking red blood near the hole – there bodies deeply slashed by flying shrapnel. They were very familiar but at the same time different looking aliens, humanoid and with almost human features with the only noticeable differences being a total lack of facial hair, ears much lower down on their heads than human ears were and a crown of thick bone around the back of the skull. Both were dressed in uniform like black tunics that to Darrel and the other Alliance marines looked to be far more ceremonial than practical, certainly nothing like the combat hardsuits they themselves were wearing.

Darrel mentally filed the information on Minbari clothing – and its seeming lack of any real protection – away for future reference as he joined the other marines in jogging to the far end of the corridor, rifles swinging back and forth searching for threats. Three Minbari in identical black tunics to the other two lay on the floor rolling in pain and clutching their ears which seemed to be bleeding. _Huh there is no way flash bangs should have caused injuries like that,_ he thought, _unless there eardrums were already weakened by the concussion wave of the breaching charge. The flash bang detonation would just finish them off – especially if they're more vulnerable to high pitched sounds than most species and like idiots don't seem to have a clue about things like helmets._

"Truman, Stevens cuff them and if its safe administer medi-gel," Hawks instructed. "Then take them back to the boarding craft and secure them, looks like we have our first three prisoners. Then I want you to guard the pod."

"Yes sir," the two marines in question acknowledged and moved to aid and restrain the three wounded Minbari.

"The rest of you let's move," Hawks instructed. "Our objective is to secure the engine room so the Minbari can't scuttle the ship. Move out."

Darrel nodded and moved up beside Hawks as they started moving, following instructions beamed wirelessly to the Special Forces marines' hardsuit computer by sensor techs on the _Vesuvius_.

It wasn't long before they encountered more Minbari who'd set up a crude barricade across the corridor ahead of them in front of the stairwell they needed to access to get down to the engineering levels. The three black clothed Minbari popped up enough from their barricade to fire a fusillade of green bolts from their pistols at the invading Terrans. Darrel staggered momentarily as a bolt hit his suits kinetic barrier making it flash brilliant blue as it deflected and dissipated the bolt of plasma.

Immediately the marines flattened themselves against the wall and returned fire sending a barrage of sand grain sized hypersonic tungsten projectiles back at the Minbari – who ducked down behind their barricade so most of the shots missed – or elicited small sprays of sparks and chipped metal as they crashed into the wall.

With the Minbari distracted Darrel acted, shifting his rifle to his left hand he gathered dark energy in his right hand before dropping it down to the floor and making a throwing motion. The orb of dark energy flew from his hand and bounced along the floor crackling and emitting waves of energy as it did so in the biotic attack referred to as shockwave. The shockwave tore through the flimsy barricade sending the thin crates and tables, and the Minbari sheltering behind them flying.

"Ha ha take that you boneheads," one of other marines shouted as the three Minbari struggled back to their feet raising their pistols – only to be hit by another fusillade of mass accelerator slugs that picked them up and threw them back against the wall. All three were dead before they hit the floor.

"Sheesh are these Minbari idiots," the same marine who'd called the Minbari boneheads asked. "They had to know they had no chance without cover and without anything like body armour. So why try to attack us again?"

"Leave that to the xenopsychologists to work out, corporal," Hawks advised. "Thompson, Cutter, Dean stay up here and guard this stairwell. The rest of you lets go."

"Right with you sir," Darrel replied before noticing a Minbari appearing in the stairwell holding a pistol and seemingly looking to try and use the stairwell door as cover. "Oh no you don't," he said aloud and threw a hand out unleashing a pull field, he curved it around the rim of the door to strike the Minbari – who cried out in surprise and shock – as he was suddenly surrounded by a blue energy field and yanked into the air – where he floated helplessly towards them.

"Whoa good catch, LT," Corporal Thompson praised the pull field evaporated and the Minbari dropped to the floor landing with and audible whumph as the air was ripped from his lungs. Corporal Cutter ran forward before the Minbari could recover enough and held the alien down with a foot to the back, while he worked to place restraints on the dazed alien.

In moments the alien was restrained and yanked back to his feet by Cutter. The Minbari looked right at Darrel with an incredulous look on its face and said something in its own language. Darrel guessed that the alien was wondering what the hell he was. _Guess that confirms these guys have no knowledge of biotics,_ he thought as he just smiled at the Minbari behind his helmet faceplate and allowed his biotic aura to flare again.

"Cutter take him back to the boarding craft then come back here," Hawks ordered ignoring Darrel's small biotic threat display with practiced ease. He'd worked with the young vanguard a few times in the last few years and was well aware of his little personality quirks and how he sometimes liked to rub his powers in enemies faces when they were captured. _I really must speak to him again about that when we get back to the __Vesuvius__ as it's not really necessary,_ he thought, _maybe I can work it into another attempt to persuade him to go for N7 training we always need more biotics and telepaths._

"Come on let's move," he said focusing on their current mission. "We need to get to the engine room before the Minbari can sabotage the power core or the jump engines to try and scuttle the ship."

"Right with you sir," Darrel replied and followed Hawks into the stairwell and began the descent down the two levels that separated their insertion point from where scans had revealed the ships main engineering compartment to be located. The rest of the marines with the exception of Cutter and the other two assigned to guard the door followed all of them determined to secure engineering before time ran out.

* * *

**Main Engineering**

**Minbari War Frigate Dark Lance**

**A Few Minutes Later**

Alyt Yaten was somewhat out of breath when she finally arrived at main engineering. She'd had to detour several times around debris and fire fights between her crew and the invading alien soldiers so it had taken far longer than she'd thought to reach engineering. _Thank Valen I've gotten here,_ she thought knowing from comm's with Satenn that the Terrans were steadily overpowering the _Dark Lance's_ defenders and securing section after section of the ship, killing or disabling all who opposed them. She had no doubt that if she didn't act now then her battered ship and the knowledge it contained would soon fall into Terran hands.

Entering engineering Yaten immediately noticed that something was wrong. The worker caste engineering crew were nowhere in sight and near one of the consoles she noticed a small blood stain on the floor. Alarmed she raised her fusion blaster and carefully looked around before advancing towards the main console where she could manually arm and fire the ships self-destruct system.

Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she whirled to see a large Terran surrounded by an odd blue glow stand up from behind a console. Reflexively she brought her fusion blaster around and pulled the trigger sending long green pulses of plasma at him. The bolts never touched him for just as she fired he seemed to glow brighter and disappear…

…then suddenly she was hit by a tremendously powerful force and knocked flying backwards. The force was so sudden and violent that she dropped both her pistol and her folded up denn'bok as her feet left the floor and she flew back a good three metres before landing painfully on her backside. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw the alien standing right where she had been the bluish aura around him fading and she realised that somehow crossed the space that had separated them in a literal blink of an eye without the plasma even touching him. _How in Valen's name did he do that,_ she thought as more Terrans appeared from behind consoles and equipment where they'd taken cover.

One in dark grey armour and with some sort of symbol on the right side of his chest and a red stripe down his left arm approached her till the muzzle of his rifle was inches from her face. The alien said something she didn't understand but he made the meaning clear when he gestured with his rifle indicating for her to get up.

Glaring at the alien she ignored him and the alien spoke again gesturing with his rifle a second time. Once again she ignored him just glared in defiance. The alien huffed and looked over at the alien who'd rammed her and said something. Immediately the other male Terran glowed blue again and made a lifting gesture with one hand and to her shock a pulse of energy flew from the hand and struck her. The blue energy enveloped her and to her ever mounting shock she was yanked off her feet and began to float in the air but completely unable to move. But only for a few seconds before the field disappeared and she crashed back down to the deck landing with such force that pain exploded through her back drawing a cry from her lips even as the air was ripped from her lungs and stars exploded before her eyes.

One of the other aliens grabbed her in armoured gauntlets and flipped her dazed and unresisting form over onto her chest before grabbing her hands and pulling them behind her back, where she felt them be bound by some kind of metallic restraint before being quite aggressively pulled to her feet. For a few moments she struggled, trying to free herself but it was futile, she had no chance of breaking free and even if she did she didn't doubt that the Terrans would kill her before she could do anything. She wasn't the proud commander of a Minbari warship any longer; no she was now a prisoner.

They grey armoured Terran – who seemed to be the one in charge – said something to the one holding her and was answered in the same language. Looking at the aliens she noticed that the one who had glowed and moved so incredibly fast was leaning against a bulkhead drinking something from a small flask taken from his belt and though she was no expert at reading alien body language Yaten could see that he appeared to be tired. _Maybe using those powers of his drains him like how deep scans drain telepaths,_ she thought.

She didn't have much time to think about it more as the Terran behind her pushed her forward while saying something in there language. Yaten guessed that it was an order to get moving and reluctantly went along with it while looking down at the floor as dismay and defeat fully sunk in on her. Along with yet another realisation that her people were going to have a major fight on their hands against the Terrans and that they would need to improve their counterinsurgency tactics to better prevent ships being captured in the future. Though for her and the surviving crew of the _Dark Lance _the war was over before it had even begun as now all the future held for them was captivity and dishonour.

She almost wished the Terrans had killed her.

* * *

Staff Commander Jay Hawks watched as the Minbari female was led out of the engine room by Corporal Matthews. He had noticed that her tunic seemed more formal than the others with some soft armour panelling on the chest and shoulder blades that gave it more of a samurai look than the normal black tunics most of the crew seemed to wear. Though the Minbari they'd captured here in the engine room had worm more practical brown clothing than the black tunics the soldiers seemed to all wear. He had to wonder if the woman's different uniform marked her as some kind of officer – possibly even this ships commanding officer as in warrior cultures the leaders always wore more ornate uniforms than the rank and file.

_Something else for the intelligence boys and girls to sort out,_ he thought before glancing back at Lieutenant York noting that the younger man was leaning against the wall drinking an energy drink specifically formulated for biotics.

"You okay lieutenant," he asked.

"I'm fine sir," Darrel replied. "Just that last pull field onto of charge took it out of me. I'm afraid I won't be able to use my biotics again for a bit."

"Understood," Jay acknowledged not surprised that Darrel needed to rest his biotics for a bit. He was well aware of the fact that despite their incredible abilities biotics could only use their powers a handful of times in a row before having to stop for lack of energy. Organically creating and shaping mass effect fields in various ways was after all a very energy intensive process. "I'm surprised to see you use charge; I didn't think you could do that."

Darrel smirked. "I am a vanguard sir," he replied. "You don't get classed as one unless you can use charge just like you don't get classed as an adept unless you can throw singularities around. So what now sir?"

"Now we hold this part of the ship until the rest of the vessel is secure," Jay answered activating his omni-tool and requesting a status update from the other boarding parties. He was pleased to note they were making good progress and had already taken much of the ship with only the bridge and a handful of areas towards the bow still under Minbari control.

"Yes sir," Darrel acknowledged before taking another sip of his energy drink and continuing to lean back against the bulkhead to recover from having used his biotics quite a few times in the last fifteen minutes. The drink would do as a short term stop gap until he could return to the _Vesuvius_ and have a nice hot biotic-friendly meal in the mess. After that he would hopefully be allowed to retire to his quarters and send a message home to his parents, little brother and long term girlfriend.

And that was really something to look forward to.

* * *

**Combat Information Centre**

**TSV Vesuvius**

**Twenty Minutes Later**

"Captain we've just received a message from the boarding parties on the Minbari vessel," communications reported across the CIC to where Captain Yvonne Turner now stood alone at the main situation table, Ambassador Sheridan having been allowed to retire to his VIP chambers.

"And?" Yvonne asked conveying a number of questions with that one word.

"All Minbari resistance has ceased we are now in full control of the vessel," the officer replied.

"Excellent. Bring all captured Minbari over to this ship we'll place them in our holding cells of ANI to interrogate later," Yvonne instructed "any response to our message to Alliance Command?"

"Yes man reinforcements and several tugs are on their way here," communications answered. "ETA on the first reinforcements is thirty-two minutes. The tugs will be here to tow away the Minbari vessel approximately thirteen minutes later."

"Very good," Yvonne acknowledged, "keep me informed of any more developments and let me know when our reinforcements arrive. I'll be in my quarters. Officer of the watch the CIC is yours."

"Aye aye ma'am," came the response from the two officers she'd addressed.

With that Yvonne turned away and left the CIC to head for her quarters but not to rest. There would be no rest for her for quite sometime to come today as she had another duty to perform, a duty that all commanding officers dreaded. She had to write the letters to the families of those crews killed on the three frigates that the Minbari had destroyed in the battle earlier along with the families of the two marines killed while taking the last Minbari vessel. Like all commanding officers it was a duty that she hated, but one she had to do and would probably have to do for a good long while as the situation with the Minbari did really look like war.

A prospect that depressed her far more than anything in her life had before. But it was a prospect she would not shrink from as if the Minbari wanted war then she would really give them war. The Minbari were the ones who were seemingly choosing the path of war as opposed to the path of peace and she and the rest of the Alliance Navy would be ready to fight them. Fight them until either they'd won, been defeated or the Minbari saw sense and sued for peace. _Maybe our victory here today will show the Minbari that war with us is not something they should embark upon lightly,_ she thought though she doubted anything they did would make a difference to the Minbari.

And that thought depressed her more than anything else.

* * *

**Authors Notes:** **Whew I can't believe how quickly I was able to write the second chapter of this story, it's really just flowing out. That being said I'm going to have a look at updating one of my other stories now that this chapter is completed as it's not fair to my readers to focus entirely on this one.**

**For those who are sure to say that the Terrans had things too easy in this chapter I have to say I disagree three Tinashi-class frigates had no real business going up against a dreadnought and its escorts. As it was the Terrans did still lose three of their warships in the battle so I would hardly call it a cakewalk. Basically though this battle is meant to be something of a wake up call for both sides – show them the kind of enemy they could be facing. Whether the Minbari will pull back from the path of war you will all have to see.**

**Also I hope everyone liked the characters of Captain Turner, Commander Hawks and Lieutenant York as you'll be seeing a lot more of them alongside more familiar B5 characters as the Minbari War arc of the story takes place.**


	4. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

**Minbari Primary Starbase**

**Minbar, Minbari Federation**

**One Week Later**

Delenn did not know what she wanted.

Dressed in the formal grey and black robes of a member of the Grey Council she stood before one of the largest windows on the giant starbase that was serving as the temporary home of the Grey Council while the heavily damaged _Valen'tha_ was repaired. Beyond the reinforced crystal of the window she could see the largest Minbari battle fleet assembled in centuries, the armada of war cruisers and war frigates taking on their last personnel and supplies before getting underway for the Terran border. She was aware that an advanced force of nine cruisers and twenty-seven frigates had already been dispatched for Terran space and indeed would cross into it in less than an hour.

On one hand a part of her was glad that retribution for Dukhat's death was about to begin, that the Terrans were about to pay the price for murdering the most beloved Minbari leader in generations. But on the other hand she was increasingly getting uncertain about the whole affair – especially now that the blinding anger she'd felt on the _Valen'tha_ as she cradled Dukhat's cooling body had had chance to fade allowing the rational part of her mind to speak. That part of her told her that going to war with the Terrans was not something Dukhat would have wanted, certainly not with the prophesied return of the great darkness so close to the year when Valen said it would happen. Gazing out upon the assembled martial might of the fleet she couldn't help but feel that the spirit of Dukhat was looking over her shoulder…

…and frowning in extreme disapproval.

The more she thought about it, the more she realised that she'd overreacted on the _Valen'tha_ to Dukhat's death, that in a fit of grief and anger she started something that she didn't know how to stop – or if it could even be stopped. She'd reviewed the _Valen'tha's _sensor logs of the attack a few days ago and had come to the startling conclusion that she and the rest of the council were only alive because the Terrans hadn't really wanted to kill them. The Terran warships had ceased firing on the _Valen'tha_ and _Ingata_ nearly two and a half minutes before the _Trigati_ and the ships with her had jumped in answering their distress calls. Both cruisers by then had been very badly damaged though no worker or warrior she'd quickly realised that they'd been completely at the Terrans mercy and that it would have only taken one or two more salvos of their admittedly powerful weapons to have completely destroyed both ships. Salvos that they could have easily fired before the _Trigati_ arrived.

There was something else to consider as well. In the last few weeks the Terrans had taken no offensive action against the Minbari, no Terran ships had entered their space; there had been no attacks on the Federation's outlying colonies and outposts. Instead there had been repeated attempts by the Terrans to contact them, offering apologies for what had happened and offering negotiations to reach a peaceful solution. They'd only responded with force when Minbari vessels had attacked them first. Though when they did decide to defend themselves their return fire was often devastating and worryingly accurate with on average one in ten shots hitting its target – often inflicting punishing damage. Indeed according to reports a number of scouting Minbari warships had either been destroyed or severely damaged in encounters with Terran warships with the biggest single loss being the total destruction of the entire _Dark Lance_ task group.

All in all it made her realise that the Minbari could be committing a horrible mistake only compounding the error of the Terran commander the _Valen'tha_ had encountered on the boarder. The only real way to not compound the error was to accept the seemingly genuine Terran apology and come to some accommodation with them that would satisfy both sides. _Unfortunately that will not be possible,_ she thought with a mental sigh. The Minbari people would never accept a peaceful settlement now, not unless the settlement was written in Terran blood, they weren't in the mood for it with the shock, grief and anger caused by Dukhat's death still reverberating through all levels of Minbari society in every single caste and clan.

Even if the worker and religious castes had been in the frame of mind to come to a peaceful settlement the warrior caste would not have been. The damage to some warships and the loss of others with all hands had dented the warrior castes collective pride. Many warriors would not rest until that perceived slight to their honour and pride was avenged.

The sound of approaching footsteps drew Delenn out of her melancholy mood as she gazed upon the fleet. A moment later the reflection of another figure in the robes of Grey Council appeared as one of her fellow Satai joined her. For a few moments the other didn't speak and instead gazed out upon the fleet before slowly removing his hood revealing his identity as Coplann – one of the three warrior caste Satai's.

"Magnificent aren't they, Delenn," Coplann said referring to the gathered fleet.

"They are," Delenn agreed removing her own hood but continuing to gaze out upon the fleet, her melancholy expression returning. Coplann seemed to notice and frowned slightly.

"What is it, Delenn you seem troubled," he asked wondering what was the matter with his young religious caste colleague. He wondered if it was just that she was still deeply upset by Dukhat's death – Dukhat had been her mentor for many years after all and the one who'd pushed for Delenn to become inducted into the Grey Council following the passing of Satai Kadroni.

Delenn gave an audible sigh. "I'm just wondering if we are doing the right thing, Coplann," she confessed. Coplann frowned as he realised what Delenn meant, she was starting to have second thoughts about going to war with the Terrans over Dukhat's death.

"It was your vote that set us on this path, Delenn," he reminded her.

"I was enraged, Coplann. I acted out of grief and anger without pausing to consider my words," Delenn replied. "But since then I've had time to think. And I am beginning to wonder if going to war with a civilisation we know so little about is really the best thing to do."

"This is not war, Delenn," Coplann reminded her. "It is merely retribution for the Terrans crime against the very blood of our people."

"Are you so sure, Coplann?" Delenn asked. "The more I think about it, what we have set in motion the more I realise that Dukhat would not have approved of this. He would want us to take a step back, calm down and accept the offers of talks the Terrans have been broadcasting to us since just after the attack."

"Perhaps," Coplann confessed, he would be lying if he said that similar thoughts hadn't occurred to him as well. Unlike the other two warrior caste Satai he'd been unenthusiastic about this course of action from the beginning and the reports he'd heard and seen from the handful of skirmishes there had been between Minbari and Terran warships had only increased his feeling of unease. He knew that this war was not going to be as easy on his caste as many of the Shai Alyt's and clan elders believed. The power the Terrans commanded was undeniable and there was no doubt that their weapons – especially the spatial distortion producing torpedoes – were formidable and fully capable of inflicting very heavy damage to even the finest Minbari warships. One only had to look at the massive damage inflicted on the _Valen'tha_ and the _Ingata _by Terran weapons to see that.

And there was another more personal reason for his reluctance and it was very similar to the reason for Delenn's own misgivings. Dukhat. Coplann had known Dukhat for a long time; they'd both joined the Grey Council at more or less the same time and had become friends as a result. At least as far as it was possible for a member of the warrior caste to truly become friends with a member of the religious caste. He'd been there when Dukhat was elected as leader of the Council and while that had made them clash more politically they'd maintained there friendship. As a result of that long friendship he was well aware that Dukhat would not approve of what the Minbari were preparing to do in his name it was why he'd been the only warrior caste Satai to argue against going to war with the Terrans.

"Unfortunately it is too late to change course now, Delenn," he said with genuine regret. "Only a majority vote in the Council could do that and the others are all set on retribution."

"I know," Delenn replied with a sigh before turning to look at Coplann and was somewhat pleased to see her own uncertainty about the whole thing reflected in the older Satai's eyes. "Were you looking for me for something, Coplann?"

"Yes. We've received word from the _Degato._"

"And," Delenn asked knowing that the _Degato_ was the Wind Sword crewed Sharlin-class war cruiser that had been designated as flagship for the advanced force.

"They've crossed into Terran space and are approaching their target co-ordinates. They will be jumping into normal space within the next twenty minutes. The Council is gathering in one of the viewing rooms to observe a real time feed of the battle. We all need to be there to see this begin."

Delenn sighed again. "Then let us go," she said putting her hood back up obscuring her features before starting to walk out of the room. The path she'd set her people on by casting that damming deciding vote was about to begin, the least she could do was be there to watch. She just hoped that the Minbari were not making a terrible mistake in doing what they were doing. But even if they were she knew that there was nothing she could do now to stop it.

* * *

**Maximum Security**

**Prison Facilities, Arcturus Station**

**Arcturus System, That Same Time**

Alyt Yaten sat on the edge of her flat alien bed and gazed at the walls of her cell for what felt like the ten thousandth time as she waited to see what her Terran captors would do with her. Since her capture and the capture of the _Dark Lance_ she hadn't really seen many Terrans beyond those that had initially taken her to a cell on the Terran warship that had so effortlessly crippled her ship and then transported her to a shuttle that had taken her here to this space station. After that the only Terrans she'd seen had been those who brought her food – which she recognised as ration packs from _Dark Lance_ – and water to drink three times a day.

In the days that had passed since she'd been brought here she'd been largely left in the cell, certainly she'd not been interrogated or tortured for pleasure – something she had fully expected the barbarians to do to her given their callous murder of Dukhat. Yet they hadn't, instead they had treated her rather well all things considering. Certainly they'd been kinder to a prisoner of war than most Minbari warriors would have been if they even bothered to take prisoners.

The sound of approaching footsteps drew her attention from the bluish-grey metal of the walls and she looked at the cell door as the footsteps stopped outside. Faintly she heard someone operating a console – presumably the lock controls – a moment before with a whirring sound the door slid aside but instead of the expected Terrans three aliens that she'd never seen before stepped into the room.

Hiding her surprise Yaten carefully looked over the three aliens. They were clearly female with slender, elegant bodies. There skin tones seemed to vary between a purplish blue on one and a very pale almost sky blue on the other two. Like Minbari females they had no hair in the way that Terran and Centauri females did, instead slender elegant tentacle like structures covered the back of their heads in place of hair and the skin had the faintest of sheens to it. Yaten had to wonder if they're species had evolved from some kind of aquatic creature like the Abbai had.

Two of the aliens were dressed in compact, sleek body armour and with visible weapons on one hip and folded up on harnesses behind their backs. They were clearly guards for the third alien who stood in the middle, she was dressed in a flowing red and black robe like dress and had a slightly fuller figure than the other two and while her features seemed ageless there was something about her something in her eyes and manner that said she was a being of great age, power and wisdom.

"You are Alyt Yaten formerly the commanding officer of the Minbari battlecruiser _Dark Lance_?" the centre alien asked in a voice that contained a note that she already knew the answer to her question. What was surprising however was that she seemed – at least to Yaten's ears – to be speaking perfect warrior caste Minbari yet as far as she knew her people had never encountered aliens such as these before.

"Yes," Yaten confirmed. "Have the barbarians asked you to talk to me? You may as well tell them I will give you no information."

The alien looked at her in confusion for a moment before giving a small chuckle. "Barbarians, I assume you mean the Terrans. I know they can be temperamental, difficult and sometimes infuriatingly awkward but I've never heard them described as barbarians before," she said sounding amused. "But they are no barbarians that term best describes the Krogan and not them. And no they did not ask me to speak to you though they have been kind enough to allow it.

"I am Matriarch Talos of the Asari," the alien continued. "I have been asked by the Citadel Council to speak with your people in the hope of peacefully resolving the unfortunate events that have taken place between the Minbari and the Terrans."

"If that is why you are here you are wasting your time and breath matriarch," Yaten answered feeling the anger at Dukhat's death return. "The Terrans fate is sealed, for the crime they committed against us they will die. We have no quarrel with the Asari but I will give you this warning now do not attempt to interfere or you will be judged as an accessory and suffer the same fate."

"You would destroy an entire race just for the mistake made by one man," Talos asked before shaking her head. "What happened between your ships and the _Prometheus_ was unfortunate and deeply regrettable but is it really grounds for genocide? I have heard much about the Minbari in recent years, how does a race that considers itself wise, just and honourable condone such actions?"

Yaten bristled and prepared to launch to her feet to pummel the alien for saying such things about the Minbari and implying that they were somehow unworthy of the respect the younger worlds rightly gave them. Only to pause as she realised that Talos was not being disrespectful or insulting, just stating a fact and asking a question.

"Our leadership has declared that the Terrans be destroyed for their actions," she answered after a moment. "I do not know the full reasons for why they have made such a decree but understanding is not required only obedience."

"That is a very dangerous mindset to have," Talos cautioned. "Many great tragedies in galactic history have been spawned from such a mindset when it is not tempered by wisdom or compassion. I did not ask what your leadership thought I want to know your thoughts. What do you believe, Alyt Yaten? Do you really believe that an entire civilisation must die because of one mistake, one misunderstanding?"

"What I believe is irrelevant," Yaten replied, "the decision has been made and it will be carried out. The Terrans will be destroyed and nothing can change that or stop it. The crime they committed against the very blood and soul of Minbar will be avenged and you would do well not to interfere."

Talos frowned slightly at the response from the Minbari warrior concerned by both the callous way she spoke about the destruction of an entire race – as if it was something to be proud of – and the seemingly overreaction to what had been a nasty border incident at the most. It was an attitude she would have expected of the Krogan more than the Minbari who by all accounts considered themselves an honourable and just race. There had to be something more going on, something that had pushed the Minbari onto such a genocidal course as one skirmish didn't justify such an extreme response.

"What happened, Alyt Yaten," she asked after a moment. "Where is this anger you have for the Terrans really coming from? It cannot be just from the _Prometheus_ firing on your ships. There is something more here. Something that is driving your anger. Tell me what is it and maybe together we can help your species work through it. Before it causes a great tragedy that will do the Minbari, the Terrans and the universe itself a great disservice."

"No we will be doing the universe a great service," Yaten snarled the rage and pain for Dukhat coming to the fore with a vengeance. "The Terrans are barbarians and murderers, they do not belong here among the stars and are a plague on the universe, one that we will eliminate."

"And why do you consider them to be barbarians and murderers?" Talos asked. "I can see your pain and anger but I do understand it. It seems far out of proportion for the events that took place between your ships and the _Prometheus_."

"Out of proportion," Yaten screamed leaping to her feet her face becoming so coloured with anger and outrage that it resembled a thundercloud, "what gives you the right to say that? You do not know what they did to us."

"Then tell me, Alyt Yaten," Talos replied her voice as ever calm and controlled while behind her, her two commando bodyguards tensed and their hands drifted towards the hand cannons holstered on their hips ready to intervene should the enraged Minbari warrior attempt to harm the matriarch. "What is the real reason for this anger you have?"

Yaten glared at Talos for a few moments contemplating attempting to pummel her for seemingly sitting in judgement over the Minbari's actions. But as she thought about it she realised that the Asari was not being purposely judgemental and just wanted to know, wanted to understand the reasons why the Minbari were going to war with the Terrans. But did she tell her about Dukhat's murder?

"It is no concern of yours," she said at last. "All you need to know is that the Terrans committed a great crime against the very heart and soul of Minbar. For that crime our leaders have decreed a penalty of death. That decree will be carried out, if I were you matriarch I would advise the Terrans to make their peace with the universe, for there end is coming. There is nothing more to be said I suggest you leave."

Talos resisted the impulse to sigh as she realised she wasn't really getting anywhere with the Minbari warrior. Yaten was either not listening to what she was trying to tell her, what she was trying to advice or was choosing to ignore it. In either case if the Alyt was anything to go by then resolving the crisis between Terrans and Minbari before it reached flashpoint was going to be a lot harder than she and the Citadel Council had believed.

"I see," Talos said at last. "Very well I will leave you for now. But before I go I want you to think of something Alyt Yaten. Is it really justice your people want or is it revenge. I will also ask that you bear these words in mind 'two great wrongs do not make a right'. Think about my words and reflect. We will speak again soon."

With that Talos turned and left the cell, her two bodyguards following her quietly. As the cell door slid closed with a soft hydraulic whirring sound Yaten looked at it and where Talos had gone. The Asari's last statements echoed around in her head as she sat back down and tried her best not to think about what Talos had said. Were her people really going to war with the Terrans because they wanted justice for Dukhat? Or was it less about justice and more about revenge?

Much as she didn't want to admit it that prospect made her feel distinctively uncomfortable. _No, no it can't be for revenge,_ she thought _the Satai's of the Grey Council are the wisest of our people. They wouldn't give the order to go to war for anything other than a quest for justice._ And yet at the back of her mind a nagging doubt remained and she didn't like it.

Didn't like it one bit.

* * *

**Security Checkpoint**

**Outside Maximum Security**

**Arcturus Station Prison Facilities**

Ambassador David Sheridan frowned as he observed Matriarch Talos and her two commando bodyguards leave the Minbari commander alone in her cell. Alyt Yaten was now sitting back on the edge of her bed seemingly deep in thought. He had heard every word that had been said between them and he couldn't help but feel more than a little disturbed and also confused.

The anger being displayed by Yaten – assuming she was indicative of her people as a whole as it was possible she was still smarting from seeing two of her ships be blown from the sky and having her own ship captured by marines – seemed massively out of proportion for what had happened a few weeks ago. Yes Jankowski had mad a major muck up of first contact – a first contact he'd been under specific orders to avoid – but it shouldn't have made the Minbari this angry. Certainly not angry enough to be talking about committing genocide and speaking about it in such a way as if the Minbari considered wiping out a species a perfectly acceptable method of waging war. The fact that it was his species they were talking about destroying only made it worse.

_But why,_ he wondered, _yeah I know Jankowski fucked up big time but that's no reason to commit genocide. And give the man credit as soon as he realised his error he ceased firing on the Minbari when he could have just as easily kept firing and destroyed them. If he'd done that the Minbari's anger would be more understand but this, as Talos pointed out it seems to be massively out of proportion for what happened._

After a few moments more thought he began to wonder if they're had been something special about the two Minbari dreadnoughts that made them very important to the Minbari people as a whole. Had something or someone been on them and had that something or someone been destroyed or killed in the attack? If that were the case it would go some of the way towards explaining the seemingly extreme anger the Minbari were reacting with. Unfortunately the only ones who could really tell them if that were indeed the case were not exactly being the most cooperative prisoners in the galaxy when it came to answering questions. Most Minbari when talked to just sat there and glared at their interrogators.

He was drawn out of his thoughts when he heard the door between the security checkpoint and the maximum security wing holding the prisoners open. He looked up in time to see Talos glide with the normal serene grace of the Asari into the room with her bodyguards. He straightened up from his slouch against the wall as the regal eight hundred year old alien approached him.

"Matriarch," he said in greeting bowing his head for a moment in respect.

"Ambassador," Talos replied as she returned the polite gesture. "You watched my discussion with Alyt Yaten?"

"I did," David acknowledged. "What Yaten said is very unsettling, especially how she can talk about genocide so casually."

"It is troubling especially coming from a people who by all accounts consider themselves to be a just and honourable race," the matriarch agreed. "I do not understand where the Minbari's anger is coming from, it seems to be completely out of proportion for what happened."

"I have had a thought about that matriarch. It occurred to me while I was waiting for you to make your way out of the max security wing."

Talos looked at him curiously and did the Asari equivalent of raising an eyebrow, silently inviting him to explain. Not needing any further encouragement David did just that, explaining his sudden thoughts about how something or someone of great value to the Minbari had been on one of the two dreadnoughts the _Prometheus_ attacked and how that something or someone had likely been destroyed or killed as the ships had been pounded to within an inch of destruction. When he had finished Talos had a deeply thoughtful look on her face as she carefully considered what she'd just been told.

"I believe your theory maybe correct," she said after thinking it over for a few minutes and recalling what Yaten had yelled about her not knowing what the Terrans had done to the Minbari and the talk of a crime against the very heart and soul of Minbar. "Such things have started wars in the past on many worlds including your own. If it is the case here..."

"...then stopping full scale war erupting between my people and the Minbari is going to be next to impossible," David finished for her. "I'm hoping that I'm wrong but I have the horrible feeling that I'm not."

"Even if you are correct we have to continue to strive for a peaceful resolution to this crisis," Talos replied as a nearby comm. panel chirped and one of the marines assigned to boost the security in this wing of the stations prison facilities went to answer it. "The Council will not accept it if we gave up trying to find the path of peace."

"Ambassador, Matriarch," the marine who'd answered the comm. said before David could answer Talos said. "You're both wanted in the Alliance Command Situation Room immediately."

David exchanged a look of sudden concern with Talos before answering the marine. "Did they say why, Corporal," he asked correctly interpreting the rank insignia on the collar of the marine's hardsuit.

"Its Jericho sir," the corporal answered.

"What about it," David asked guessing the younger man was referring to the system near the Minbari border and the small fleet base that orbited the systems fourth planet and the only relatively recently established New Hibernia colony.

"They're under attack, its the Minbari."

"Tell them that we're on our way."

"Yes sir."

David looked back at Talos to see that the matriarch looked as calm as always but he'd dealt with Asari enough times in his career as a diplomat to see the concern and unease in her eyes. "This way," he said before leading the way out of the security checkpoint and heading towards the entrance to the prison facilities and eventually a transport tube that would take them to the part of the nine and a half kilometre long O'Neill-type space station that housed Alliance Command.

Talos and her bodyguards followed a few paces behind David, Talos silently cursing the Minbari's timing. She had hoped that she would have more time to try and figure out a peaceful resolution to the crisis, that the clashes with the Minbari would remain isolated to occasional boarder skirmishes.

Now though the Minbari had apparently launched a major attack upon a Terran world – an action that she knew would send a shockwave across the whole of the known galaxy. An action that would start a war as there was no way the Terran Systems Alliance would allow it to go unchallenged and unanswered. They would hit back and hit back hard as the Turians had found out the hard way during the Shanxi Incident which they still referred to as the 'Slaughter at Shanxi' even now thirty three years after it had taken place. Talos did not know exactly what response the Alliance would mount to the Minbari attack but she did know one thing and that was finding a peaceful solution had just gotten harder than it had originally been.

A lot harder.

* * *

**Authors Notes: Well here's chapter three of this fic done. I'm sorry that this chapter is a bit shorter than the others have been but it cannot be helped. I was originally going to show the Battle of Jericho in this chapter but decided that for story purposes it worked better to move the battle itself to chapter four and just show events building up to it in this chapter.**

**Regarding Arcturus Station I've changed the design from the ME canon as while the Stanford Torus is a good design I decided that it wouldn't work quite so well in this fusion timeline. Hence why I've made it an O'Neill cylinder like what the Babylon Stations will be if/when they are constructed.**


	5. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four**_

**Minbari War Cruiser Degato**

**A Few Minutes Earlier**

The soft, crystalline sounding tones of the comm. panel echoed through the plane, simple chambers that served as the personal quarters of Shai Alyt Nalann, bringing the warrior out of the meditative trance he'd been using to centre himself ready for the battle ahead. Opening his eyes he stood up from his cross legged stance and moved over to the trilling console and pressed a flashing control.

"Yes," he asked already guessing what the communication was about. He had left orders that he was to be contacted just as the fleet entered the outer reaches of the star system the Terrans referred to as Jericho – the first system selected to receive the hammer blow of Minbari justice.

"Shai Alyt we're entering the Jericho System. ETA at reversion point three minutes," Alyt Valenn – his second in command – reported from the _Degato's _bridge.

"Very well, call all personnel to battle stations, power up all weapons systems and open all gun ports. Also have all primary Niall squadrons prepare for launch. Instruct the other ships to do the same. I'll be in the Tactical Centre momentarily."

"Yes Shai Alyt," Valenn replied before signing off. As the communication with the bridge closed down Nalann fished around on his desk before retrieving the old denn'bok that had been in his family since the time of Valen himself. He always carried it with him whenever there was the likelihood of battle and it had never ceased to bring him good luck as it had his forefathers. He retrieved the ancient weapon from where it had rolled behind his desk terminal just as the familiar melodic chimes of battle alert klaxons began to sound throughout the _Degato_ summoning the cruisers crew to battle stations.

Stowing the denn'bok in a slot on his uniform belt he slipped out of his quarters and began walking corridors that were turning into a bustle of activity as crew members raced to prepare the ship for the first full scale battle between Terrans and Minbari. As he walked Nalann was well aware of the atmosphere of excitement and expectation filling the air of his cruiser, the crew were deeply honoured that they'd been among those chosen to deliver the first blows of righteous Minbari justice against those who'd dared to attack the Grey Council and take Dukhat away from them.

Nalann would have been lying if he said he didn't share in the crew's feelings but at the same time he knew better than to underestimate there foe. The handful of clashes there had been between Terran and Minbari forces along the borders of Terran space in recent weeks had already shown that they were a power not to be underestimated. The last few Minbari commanders who had done that had paid for it with their lives and with the lives of there ships and crews, especially as the Terrans seemed to be able to at least partially penetrate the stealth technology that in concert with polycrystalline armour had kept Minbari warships safe from harm for many generations. Nobody seemed to understand how they could do that just that they could and that made the barbarians all the more dangerous, all the more deadly.

_Being able to at least partially penetrate our stealth won't save them though,_ he thought thinking of the Terran ships they would almost certainly soon be engaging in battle – assuming of course that the information gathered by the Anla'shok on the system called Jericho was accurate. _Yes they will almost certainly make us bleed and some of us might not return from this battle but we'll win. We are after all Minbari, we defeated the Shadows a thousand years ago and we defeated the Streib seven centuries later when they foolishly raided our space so we will defeat the Terrans as well._

Nalann dismissed his thoughts as he arrived at the cruisers Tactical Centre. The door iris opened smoothly on his approach and he stepped through to find himself face to face with what appeared to be a shimmering energy barrier through which he could see the never ending maelstrom of hyperspace. The tactical display was already active he wasn't surprised it would have done so the moment the crew went to battle stations. Stepping through the field he found himself seemingly standing in open hyperspace with the fleet arrayed around him silhouetted against the shifting red and black fields and twisting graviton currents that dominated hyperspace.

Two aids were waiting for him as he arrived and both stiffened and offered the warrior castes salute as he took up his station. Nalann nodded and looked around at the display noting with pleasure that most the fleet was just finishing forming up into the normal assault wall formation that were the classic Minbari tactics for fighting in space. As per standard procedure three Tinashi and one Sharlin hung back – assuming a rear guard position, when the rest of the fleet jumped they would remain in hyperspace to act as a reserve force just in case the battle didn't go exactly as planned.

"Report," he ordered.

"Shai Alyt all ships report fully combat ready," Kanier the senior of his two aides reported. "All personnel are at battle stations, all weapons are fully powered up and all gun ports are open. All primary Niall squadrons are prepared to launch as soon as we jump into normal space. The fleet has reached jump coordinates and await your command. Primary scans of normal space have been completed; no enemy ships detected near our jump coordinates."

"As expected," Nalann replied knowing from Anla'shok reports that the bulk of the Terran fleet in this system would be deployed near and over the third planet and the colony of New Hibernia and not as far out as the Minbari had been ordered to jump in by warrior caste elders. Nalann was not sure about the idea himself – he would have far rather jumped in right on top of Terrans and engaged them immediately at close range where his ships main weapons would be at there most effective and not come out of hyperspace outside firing range for everything but the ships missiles – but he would obey orders. Orders that said he was to approach the planet slowly and let the Terrans observe the unstoppable might of his fleet as it approached, a fleet that would be there doom.

Calmly he raised his voice slightly so the intercom system would activate and relay his words not just to the _Degato's_ bridge but to the entire fleet. "Shai Alyt Nalann to attack fleet all ships commence jump into normal space. All ships launch primary fighter squadrons upon completion of the jump."

A faint thrum of power ran through the deck in response to his command and Nalann had to hold back a smile. He guessed that the pilot's fingers had been waiting right by the control for the forward jump engines just waiting for the command to activate them and create the portal into normal space. He knew his would have been if he'd been the pilot. The effect of the pilots action was immediate as on the display a glowing blue point of light swirled and pulled back creating a whirling red funnel that narrowed to a black point through which normal space was faintly visible. Similar funnels appeared all around as the ships of the attack fleet created their own jump points and began to transit through them.

Nalann kept his gaze focused on the vortex as the _Degato_ committed to the jump and began to transit through the funnel. Space seemed to narrow around them before spreading out again as a swirling blue two-dimensional disc of energy that many had compared to looking somewhat like a hole in space. Within seconds the disc of the jump point gave way to normal space and the view of the rest of the fleet transiting safely into normal space. Moments later steely grey tri-winged fighters began leaving the cruisers and frigates as the first Niall squadrons launched and formed up around and ahead of the fleet ready to challenge the enemy when they inevitably engaged them.

Calmly Nalann looked deeper into the holographic field towards where according to Anla'shok reports the Terran fleet would likely be, he extended a hand to signal the sensors to focus more on the area and pull in an image. The field zoomed in and sure enough the sleek, elongated delta shapes of Terran warships hung in orbit of the third planet mingling with hundreds of commercial ships of all description. Some were familiar to Nalann from Anla'shok reports as belonging to the various younger races but a number of ships didn't match designs known to the Minbari. Thus they probably came from Citadel Space. The fact that so many merchant ships and passenger vessels were present over New Hibernia was not surprising as everything the Anla'shok had discovered indicated that Jericho was on the trade routes between Citadel Space and the League of Non-Aligned Worlds. Hanging in orbit in the thick of the swarming traffic a space station sat in geostationary orbit above the colony – controlling the passage of shuttles and smaller ships to and from the surface as well as acting as a home base for the military ships.

Nalann smiled slightly at the sight of so many merchant ships. The battle here would hit the barbarians on two fronts, not only would one of their war fleets be destroyed but there economy would also take a nasty blow – especially as the warrior caste intended to make it clear to the League and other powers that continued trade between them and the Terran Systems Alliance would not be tolerated.

Changing activity in orbit of New Hibernia caught Nalann's attention and he knew immediately that his forces had been spotted. The Terran military ships were moving out of their parking orbits and moving into various battle formations and groups while many of the merchant ships – especially those from the local races began heading towards the jump gate to escape to hyperspace, still others moved closer to New Hibernia no doubt seeking the protection of the warships and the planets orbital defence grid.

"Shai Alyt we're receiving a transmission from the Terrans," Kanier reported relaying information from the bridge. "They're requesting that we stand down and prepare to receive a diplomatic party to resolve the unfortunate circumstances that have arisen between our species peacefully."

"They really don't understand do they," Matann – his second aide – commented his voice thick with rage. Nalann could understand why, the Terrans still didn't realise the depth of the crime they had committed against the Minbari. They still seemed to be under the belief that they could say sorry and not pay a price in blood for their actions, a notion that it was time to finally reveal to them to be totally false.

"Ignore them," he said. "All ships continue to approach in attack formation. Prepare to engage the enemy,"

"Yes Shai Alyt."

* * *

**TSV Prometheus**

**That Same Time**

Commander Alan Chaffin felt the butterflies of nerves flapping about in his stomach as he sat in the commanding officers chair at the centre of the _Prometheus'_ bridge. He was still settling into his role as acting captain of the _Prometheus_ as Captain Jankowski had been relieved of duty and sent back to Arcturus to face a Admiralty Board of Inquiry and now it looked like he was going to have the added stress of leading the _Prometheus_ and the seven hundred and fifty-two crew aboard her in battle.

Gazing at the tactical hologram floating in front of him that showed the Minbari attack fleet steadily closing on New Hibernia Alan wondered not for the first time if he could have done something different on that fateful day three and a half weeks ago. Something that could have prevented this sequence of events from occurring at all, he didn't know what he could have done to prevent it as Captain Jankowski had reacted to the plasma overload on the _Gorgon_ and ordered the ship to open fire almost to fast to really process what had happened let alone take action but it didn't stop him wondering and second guessing himself. Especially as a result of what had happened hundreds of Terran soldiers had already died in clashes with Minbari warships along the border – clashes that were now seemingly set to escalate into an all out interstellar war that promised to be far harsher than the Shanxi Incident and the Dilgar Wars put together.

"Commander," Lieutenant Stark reported from sensors. "The Asari vessel _Salinos_ is moving towards the Minbari Fleet."

"What?" Alan questioned in surprise even as the tactical display confirmed it. One of the three Asari merchant liners that had stayed in orbit of New Hibernia had moved out from its position and was advancing on the Minbari. "Communications contact orbital control and the _Salinos_ find out what the hell the Asari are doing moving towards a Minbari battle fleet."

"Orbital control is already hailing us sir," communications replied immediately. "They're saying that the Asari matron commanding the _Salinos_ has offered to try and talk to the Minbari to get them to stand down from they're aggressive stance. We're being ordered however to stand by at the ready in case the Minbari react badly to the offer, all ships are being ordered to fire if the Minbari do."

"Acknowledge the order," Alan replied. "Weapons stand by with main mass accelerators, prepare for salvo fire."

"Aye, aye sir."

As the crew – his crew for the time being at least – carried out his orders Alan focused his attention on the tactical display. The _Salinos_ slowly approached the Minbari warships before coming to a stop fifteen thousand kilometres ahead of them well within the believed effective range of the Minbari's admittedly very powerful particle and plasma beam weapons. Information flashed up on the screen that showed the sleek and elegant Asari vessel opening a communications channel with one of the Minbari warships. For a few moments nothing happened then warnings flashed on the screen as the Asari ship was suddenly lashed with targeting scanners.

"No," Alan breathed realising with a jolt of horror what was about to happen, "dear God no."

If God was hearing him however he clearly chose to ignore him as a moment later two emerald green energy beams erupted from one of the Minbari dreadnoughts. The neutron beams slammed instantly into the _Salinos_, passing through its weak civilian grade kinetic barriers like they weren't even there to cut right through the ships thin metal hull – eviscerating the entire vessel with terrifying ease. In a testament to the ship building skills of the Asari the mortally wounded merchant liner held together for a moment after the searing javelins of energy disappeared before disintegrating into so much metallic confetti as explosive decompression and the detonation of fuel tanks tore it apart mercifully silencing the screams of the crew.

"Boneheaded bastards," Alan yelled his moderate level biotics manifesting around him in shimmering blue aura for a moment as they flared in response to his sudden spike of anger. He came from a family that ran a biotech business that traded extensively with the Asari – he'd been on several Asari merchant liners in his life and indeed it had been Asari crewwomen on one who'd helped him develop basic control over his emerging biotic talents during a long journey between Earth and the Asari homeworld Thessia. Consequently he knew that nearly a hundred innocent Asari of all ages from small children just entering there lives to centuries old matrons and matriarchs had just been murdered by the Minbari right before his eyes.

"Sir," weapons questioned the officer at the station – like the rest of the bridge crew – paying no mind to the display of biotics. Like most of the crew since he'd come aboard they'd seen him practice with his abilities before in the gym.

"You know the orders. Open fire," Alan replied before closing his eyes for a moment and letting it out slowly to reign in his anger and bring his abilities back under control. The flare faded and he opened his eyes again as the anger coalesced into a cold fury, a fury directed at the brutal Minbari commander. A commander who he privately wished could be teleported right in front of him now – so he could warp the bastard till what was left of him or her would fit into a very small box though since he couldn't do that – he would take pleasure in pounding the murdering bastard to pieces from range with the _Prometheus's_ two main mass accelerator cannons.

A moment later a faint shiver of recoil ran through the deck as the port side mass accelerator cannon fired, sending a twenty-five kilogram ferrous tungsten slug streaking towards the distant Minbari ships at one point five percent of light speed. A second later the starboard mass accelerator also fired sending a second slug shooting into space at the same relativistic speeds. Though it was perfectly possible for both mass accelerators to fire at the same time Terran military doctrine on all warships with more than one main cannon had evolved that in general only one cannon fired at a time, with the second following a second later while the first went through a two second cool-down/recharge cycle before firing again. The idea being it would allow them to fire near continuously at the enemy.

Additional mass accelerator slugs appeared on the tactical display heading towards the Minbari as the rest of the 64th Border Patrol Flotilla opened up with their own barrage of mass accelerator fire. Alan kept his eyes focused on the tactical display tracking the massive volley of metal that collectively weighed over several tons as it approached the flickering red chevrons and dark energy flux that marked the position of the Minbar fleet. He was surprised to note that even though the slugs had now crossed into the effective engagement range of ship based energy weapons the Minbari were making no attempt to evade or shoot down the slugs with defensive guns. _Why aren't they attempting to defend themselves,_ he wondered, _yeah I know mass accelerator slugs are both small and very fast but anyone with decent point defence and interception capabilities has a chance of shooting some of them down. So why aren't the Minbari trying._

A moment later he got his answer as almost every single mass accelerator slug shot passed the Minbari fleet in clean misses, the slugs continuing onwards towards the lifeless rocky world that was Jericho's forth planet. A planet whose thin atmosphere of xenon and argon would not even slow the slugs down as the planets gravity drew them in an impact trajectory. Only two of the flickering red chevrons flashed brighter for a moment indicating that they'd been struck.

"What happened," he demanded frowning at the surprising ineffectiveness of the first salvo.

"It's the Minbari stealth systems sir," Lieutenant Stevens at tactical reported. "At this long range they're really throwing off our firing solution."

"Damn," Alan muttered glaring at the tactical display as a faint shiver ran through the deck as another slug launched from the port mass accelerator cannon. _There has to be some way to more reliably target the Minbari at long range,_ he thought before focusing on the dark energy flux and feeling an idea begin to blossom in his mind.

"Mister Stevens is it possible to more precisely target the dark energy flux the Minbari ships are emitting," he found himself asking.

"Not at this range sir," Stevens replied. "The flux apparently comes from somewhere deep within each Minbari vessel the sheer mass of the vessels absorbs some of the emissions. Even at close range targeting the detected flux reliably is difficult."

Alan frowned thoughtfully wondering if there was away to correct that, then it hit him how they could go some way towards correcting that problem. It struck without warning and with all the subtly of a platoon of charging Krogan. "What if multiple ships triangulated on the same signals and shared data," he asked. "Would that improve our chances of hitting the Minbari at range?"

Stevens frowned thoughtfully himself as he considered his temporary captain's idea. Like the warships of most species Terran warships routinely shared tactical data amongst themselves during combat to better enable coordinated defensive fire, which was vital against fighters especially if they were carrying disruptor rockets as even one of those could cause all sorts of problems if it got through your shields and hit the ship in the wrong place. It would not be much of a stretch to use that ability offensively to better target the Minbari.

"It just might sir," he said at last. Alan smiled slightly and focused on a part of the tactical display that showed ships that were within very close proximity to the _Prometheus_. Two frigates and a destroyer were within very close range and it would be worth working with them to try. "Contact your counterparts on the nearest ships," he ordered. "Set it up. If we can triangulate on one target we'll combine fire against it."

"Aye aye sir," Stevens acknowledged before his console screamed a warning. "Vampire, vampire, vampire," he called out. "Multiple missiles leaving the Minbari ships and heading our way, radiological scans detect fusion warheads. Estimated blast yield two megatons."

"Weapons set forward interceptors to long range dispersive fire target incoming missiles," Alan ordered looking at the officer who worked very closely with Stevens. "All pulse lasers stand by to engage any missiles that get past the interceptors."

"Aye aye sir."

"Mr Stevens," Alan started to say.

"Already on it sir," Stevens replied guessing that Alan was going to ask him to work on the triangulation idea. He was already working on it, his hands flying across the holographic controls as he worked quickly with the VI assigned to help with tactical and weapons operations as well as the similar VI's on the three closest ships to see if they could make Chaffin's idea work. After a moment it seemed to work – one of the dark energy flux signatures got noticeably brighter and the VI estimated the chances of direct impact were about sixty percent.

"I think we got it sir," he said. "Sharing sensor data we have a sixty percent chance of striking the closest Minbari capital ship with a full salvo."

"Then lets give it a try, signal the other ships and pass the firing coordinates to weapons."

Stevens tapped a few commands into his console and smiled at the result. A glance at the weapons officer manning the station next to his showed that the other man was grinning a grin that was downright predatory and would have done any Krogan Battlemaster proud. "We're ready sir," he said.

"Then by all means, fire."

* * *

The barrage of Ten'sha-class fusion missiles launched from the assembled frigates and war cruisers of the Minbari fleet tore across space towards the fleet of Terran warships defending New Hibernia, intent of annihilating them in a blaze of thermonuclear flame. Propelled forward by sophisticated gravimetric propulsion units the missiles charged across space at faster speeds than any other missile produced by any of the other Younger Races couldn't hope to match. Indeed the missiles were so fast that many Minbari warriors and the workers who made them believed that shooting them down before they could reach a target to destroy it to be next to impossible.

A belief that was in one instant well and truly shattered forever for the crews of the Minbari attack fleet as small rapid fire plasma bolts shot out from the Terran warships interceptor batteries to eliminate the missile threat. Wrapped up in mass effect fields to enhance both range and speed the rapid fire bolts of plasma set up a dense network of superheated matter that the Ten'sha missiles ran straight into.

A dozen missiles vanished instantly, dissolving into hazy balls of disassociated ions as the star core hot kiss of the plasma bolts annihilated them without any effort at all. Three more missiles followed a moment later as additional plasma bolts consumed them in their lethal blue-white embrace. The remaining half a dozen missiles broke through the initial storm of defensive fire and closed on the Terran ships, the missiles spreading out and assuming complex evasion patterns as the threat analysis part of their advanced guidance systems went into overdrive.

It did the missiles little good. Additional bolts of plasma shot forth from the interceptors on trajectories that the VI's controlling them determined would have the best chance of destroying the missiles before they entered the engagement range of the warships pulse lasers. Eight more missiles died, vanishing in blasts of liberated ions as they were struck and instantly incinerated. The four surviving missiles crossed into the engagement range of the pulse lasers that made up the bulk of the warships secondary and close in armaments.

Multiple warships opened fire creating a crisscrossing grid of coherent photons. The remaining Ten'sha missiles ran straight into the barrage of laser fire. Multiple bolts impacted each missile and in brilliant flashes of light the missiles disappeared, the metal and alloys vaporising instantly tearing the missiles apart in a momentary starburst of pure plasma.

Even as the last missile died the _Prometheus_ and the three smaller warships that had assumed a standard mutual support formation around her fired their mass accelerators in an alpha strike at their triangulated target. Travelling at factions of light speed the ferrous tungsten slugs crossed the ever shortening distance between the two war fleets in mere moments, slamming into the forward hull of one of the war frigates that made up the great bulk of the forces under Shai Alyt Nalann's command.

The two heavy slugs from the _Prometheus_ slammed into the frigate first, the rounds squashing as they did so transferring all their kinetic energy to their target. Polycrystalline armour shattered like brittle glass as kinetic energy equal to the power of a small nuke tore its crystalline lattice structure apart – sending debris flying into space as razor sharp glass-like shards. The muzzle of the ships antimatter cannon snapped off as the barrel of the weapon was literally sliced in half by flying crystalline debris. The metal hull under the shattering forward armour bowed inwards alarmingly but didn't tear apart as the bulk of the slug's energy had already been expended shattering the forward armour. A violent judder ran through the whole of the frigate knocking crew members off their feet or out of their chairs as the warship shuddered in agony.

Even as the shockwave from the dual hammer blow died away the shots from the frigates and destroyer with the _Prometheus_ slammed into the wounded vessel, the slugs smashing through the exposed metal squashing and shattering as they did so. The resultant hypervelocity fragments whizzed through the forward compartments of the ship like razor blades in a tornado, slicing through metal, crystal, fabric and flesh with effortless ease. Explosive decompression instantly vented dozens of compartments across the Tinashi's forward decks to space, sucking some crew members out into space before intact internal bulkhead doors could slam closed and seal off the damage. Not that the rest of the vessel was trouble free – secondary explosions erupted throughout multiple compartments as damaged power conduits overloaded and ruptured starting dozens of electrical fires.

Badly wounded the frigate visibly seemed to stagger in space before falling out of formation with the other Minbari ships leaving a trail of debris, venting atmosphere and bodies in its wake.

* * *

**Minbari War Cruiser Degato**

**That Same Time**

Shai Alyt Nalann couldn't help but gape in disbelief as he saw the frigate _Silver Blade_ fall out of formation, the forward third of the ship completely gutted by the five projectiles that had slammed into it with frightening accuracy. The speed at which it had happened was extraordinary as was the fact that the frigates gravimetric defence field hadn't affected the mass accelerator rounds at all. They'd just ripped through it as if it wasn't there to savage the hull, and there was the possibility that they were about to do it again to another ship.

_We need to get into our own weapons range to start hitting them back,_ he thought wincing as a Niall exploded into a plume of shrapnel and plasma as it found itself in the path of a mass accelerator slug aimed for one of the Sharlin's. A slug that turned the powerful fighter into energised flotsam with even less effort than he would expend swatting a particularly annoying insect. _We need to close with the enemy quickly of the Terrans will just pound us to pieces from range,_ he thought.

"How long till we enter weapons range," he asked looking over at Kanier.

"At our current speed two minutes," Kanier answered looking and sounding grim. Like him Kanier seemed to be well aware that the fleet was in a precarious position right now, the Terrans had them massively outranged and had clearly shown that they were capable of pounding the whole fleet to metal splinters and crystalline dust using that massive range advantage. There attempt at long range fire with Ten'sha fusion missiles had been revealed to be a somewhat pathetic gesture – the Terrans point defence systems had had absolutely no trouble shooting the salvo down long before it could hit their ships.

Nalann scowled at the disappointing news but before he could open his mouth to ask another question there came a deep rumbling boom and the _Degato_ shook violently. All three Minbari in the Tactical Centre stumbled as there bodies were pulled sideways by the sudden loss of gravitational stability while simultaneously the holographic field spluttered and threatened to dissolve into nothingness as the shockwaves rattled through the ship, after a moment the gravity and holographic fields stabilised as inertial dampeners compensated for the shock.

"Damage," Nalann demanded already knowing exactly what had happened – they'd been struck by a mass accelerator round.

"Direct hit on our upper port forward quarter," Matann reported listening to the damage report coming in from the bridge via a small headset in one ear. "Armour integrity down to fifty percent in impacted area, seventy percent in immediate surrounding areas. Ten percent power loss due to shockwaves damaging power conduits. Another one of those and they'll blow out half the forward section."

Nalann snarled. "Enough of this," he growled before wincing as a nearby Tinashi was abruptly speared by a dozen mass accelerator slugs from two different angles gutting it from stem to stern. For a moment the wrecked ship hung there then its singularity power plant let go tearing what was left of the ship apart in a maelstrom of liberated energy. The force of the explosion was enormous and the gravitic blast wave from the imploding singularity visibly punted the Sharlin closest to the destroyed ship a degree and a half to starboard. Hundreds more Minbari just consigned to the flames and they'd yet to land a single blow on the Terrans themselves.

"Shai Alyt Nalann to all ships," he said speaking louder for the comm. to pick up his words. "Increase to flank speed and commence evasive manoeuvres while continuing to close upon the enemy. Reserve unit move in closer to New Hibernia and jump in behind enemy lines."

"Behind enemy lines Shai Alyt," Matann questioned even as around them the fleet reacted to Nalann's orders to commence evasive action that would hopefully substantially reduce the number of hits the Terrans scored with there longer ranged mass accelerator weapons.

"We need to distract the Terran forces," Nalann explained. "Take some of their focus off us, that will enable us to get into range and start hitting the barbarians back properly and not just ineffectively lob missiles at them. The reserves jumping in behind their lines and closer to the colony will force them to split their ships and attention. I know I'm almost certainly sending those ships to their deaths but if we don't do it then the Terrans will pound our whole fleet to pieces before we can really get into weapons range."

"I don't understand how they can do this to us? The Terrans are barbarians and murderers who've barely been in space for one and a half centuries. How can they hurt us like they have been," Matann wanted to know wincing as he saw two larger mass accelerator slugs smash into a Tinashi, ripping off one of its lower drive fins and sending the ship spinning out of control while the pilot attempted to recover from the loss of the one fins gravitic drive projector unit. "Executing the elders plan should have been easy."

"As Valen said 'No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy'," Nalann replied quoting one of the great leaders maxims of war even as he grimaced at the sight of the temporarily out of control ship knowing it was a good thing that he'd already ordered evasive action otherwise the ship would have crashed right into the Sharlin _Negati_ which would have surely destroyed both ships. As it was the _Negati_ was able to avoid the collision but only just and only because she had already been moving to evade Terran fire. Three Nialls weren't so lucky and rammed the Tinashi at full speed – exploding on contact with the ships hull opening multiple breaches in the frigates armoured skin further wounding her.

Inwardly Nalann shook his head at the way this battle was not going as originally intended. They had known the Terrans could at least partially see through the stealth systems and should have realised that jumping in far outside of weapons range and approaching in battle formation with gun ports open and weapons active would only leave them wide open to a long range mass accelerator attack. But they hadn't, they'd assumed that the Terrans wouldn't be able to track them well enough at long range to target there ships. A presumption that was now being shown to be fatally flawed, he was really going to have to talk to the caste elders and Shai Alyt's if he survived this battle. They needed to adjust there traditional tactics to take into account a) that the Terrans could somehow at least partially penetrate there stealth at both close and long range, and b) that Terran mass accelerator weapons gave them a very nasty and potentially decisive range advantage over the Minbari.

Nalann mentally shook himself out of his thoughts and turned his full attention back to the holographic field. Despite his ordering of evasive manoeuvres some his ships were still taking mass accelerator strikes, punching holes in the polycrystalline armour, denting and tearing through the metal hulls underneath. At least one Sharlin he could see was missing one of its primary weapons fins – the fin presumably ripped off by a direct strike to the relatively fragile structure – but they were continuing to close with the enemy fleet. Very shortly they would be in position to start answering the metal slugs that were doing their best to pound them from the sky with neutron and fusion beams, which would hopefully finally turn this battle in the Minbari's favour.

Abruptly at the rear of the Terran battle lines the swirling blue vortex of an incoming jump point burst into existence. The disc of energy enveloped two of the smaller Terran ships and one slightly larger one, instantly turning all three into fireballs that rapidly extinguished in the vacuum leaving behind shattered, burnt debris. Emerging from the vortex came the war cruiser _Honours Blade_ along with the frigates _Sovalii, Datanna _and _Minkar_all of them firing with every weapon they had as they charged back into normal space.

Nalann allowed himself a small smile as the barrage of neutron beams and fusion beams ripped into some of the ships at the rear of the Terran formation. Three of the smallest Terran ships instantly disintegrated in momentary fireballs as the four Minbari ships swept past, heading towards New Hibernia and the ships, station and defence platforms in orbit of the planet – neutron cannons already firing ranging shots at the closest ships and platforms. Searing red heavy laser beams erupted from the platforms in response, slamming into the Minbari vessels but doing little damage as the polycrystalline armour absorbed and dissipated almost all the energy of the beams so damage was minimal. The same could not be said of platforms which began dying as neutron beams began methodically shooting them down, even as fusion beams began firing at some of the nearby civilian shipping that was attempting to shelter beneath the defence grid including the two vessels that were identical to the one they'd destroyed at the beginning of the battle and began calmly annihilating them.

Nalann turned his attention away from it back to the more immediate battle and smiled when he saw the first of his leading Tinashi's begin firing there own beams as they finally got into weapons range. Neutron and fusion beams lanced out, slamming into the Terran lines to be met by the blue flare of somekind of energy fields and a glimmering fog of diffusing energy as they impacted larger vessels. _Finally we're fighting back effectively,_ Nalann thought as two smaller Terran ships were sliced in half, both exploding together silently in the void, _now we'll see who has the last laugh in this battle._

* * *

**TSV Prometheus**

**A Few Moments Earlier**

Commander Alan Chaffin stared at the tactical hologram in front of him in shock and disbelief as four more Minbari warships, one of them a dreadnought, abruptly jumped out of hyperspace behind the defensive lines of the fleet annihilating five frigates before the Minbari moved to engage New Hibernia's orbital defence grid. _Where the hell did they come from, how come the hyperspace probes didn't pick them up,_ he thought knowing that like most species on this side of the galaxy his own regularly fired probes into hyperspace to watch for approaching threats – though they only did it in systems like this one where there were jump gates for the local races to use to access the trade routes to Citadel Space.

Surprise turned to horror and rage as he tactical display showed the Minbari firing at the civilian ships in orbit with some of their secondary beam weapons, including the two remaining Asari merchant liners. The weak civilian grade kinetic barriers offering little to no protection against the high intensity beams of fusion plasma. Even as he watched in horror two Kowloon-class freighters were sliced in half spilling the contents of their cargo pods and the bodies of their crews into space a moment before both ships fuel went up in blinding explosions.

"Sir message from fleet command," communications reported a moment before a violent judder ran through the deck beneath them as the rest of the Minbari fleet came into weapons range and lashed out with their beam weapons, one of which had just struck _Prometheus_ only for the neutron beam already weakened due to having been fired from the near limit of its range to be completely defocused by the ships kinetic barriers. "They want us and our support group to break formation and head for the Minbari ships over New Hibernia. We're to engage and destroy them."

"Acknowledge the order and relay to our support group," Alan ordered even as he heard a faint thrum of power run through the hull as plasma turrets rotated to track the Minbari and fired a barrage of dark energy encased plasma bolts back at them in retaliation. A glance at the tactical display showed several of the blue-white bolts impact the forward hull of one of the battlecruisers – punching through weakened armour and hull metal to flood dozens of compartments on the forward decks with superheated matter. The Minbari warship seemed to stagger in space as secondary explosions visibly erupted on it and for a moment he was tempted to order weapons to finish the badly wounded vessel off with one of the beam lasers mounted on the _Prometheus'_ wings. He dismissed the idea as it would distract them for to long and those civilian ships over New Hibernia needed help and they needed it right now.

"Navigation take us towards New Hibernia maximum possible speed. Relay the course and speed to our support ships," he ordered.

"Aye aye sir," navigation acknowledged as the ship shuddered as a fusion beam from Minbari battlecruiser they'd just struck pounded into their barriers, putting them under strain as they robbed the jet of plasma of almost all its kinetic energy and deflected the bulk of the beam back into space leaving only a fraction of the plasma to cut into the thick metalloceramic ablative armour over the cruisers carbotanium-plasteel alloy hull.

"Damage," Alan asked even as with another thrum of energy they fired more plasma back at the Minbari though most shots lacking triangulated coordinates with the other ships missed there mark, two still impacted however flying through the holes blown in the battlecruisers hull to further ravage the ships interior. Explosions visibly erupted through the holes blown in the Minbari's hull and the tactical display showed the ship beginning to break up from the inside out as to many key parts of its space frame were consumed by the plasma.

"Minor thermal damage to outer armour," damage control reported "port side kinetic barriers down to seventy percent, redirecting auxiliary power to compensate"

"Understood, Mr Stevens I want a firing solution triangulated for the Minbari dreadnought over New Hibernia fire as soon as we have a clear shot," Alan ordered as the distant rumbling of the engines increased in volume as the cruiser manoeuvred out of her position to move to aid the ships over New Hibernia.

"Aye, aye sir," Stevens acknowledge his hands flying across his console working with the tactical VI and the VI's of the ships in their support group to triangulate on the Minbari dreadnought as it continued cutting civilian ships from the sky with its secondary fusion beam weapons.

Alan kept his attention focused on the tactical display, focusing his attention on the Minbari warships over New Hibernia and the brutal efficiency and total lack of respect for sapient life that they were showing. Already many of the civilian ships including both Asari merchant liners and three Volus freighters had been torn from the sky, with the rest scrambling to try and break orbit, but the Minbari ships had spread out and deployed fighters – trapping them in the gravity well so they could continue slaughtering them while engaging the defence satellites. The satellites were still firing their heavy beam lasers back in retaliation and not having much luck – the Minbari armour while seemingly next to useless against kinetic weapons like mass accelerators and to a lesser degree plasma bolts seemed to be highly resistant to directed energy weapons.

_We need to get there fast,_ he thought wincing as another freighter – this one Terran – broke up, sliced apart by neutron beams from the Minbari fighters. As the freighter disintegrated into chunks of semi-molten metal the fighters kept shooting and for a moment Alan wondered what on Earth they were shooting at. Then with a jolt of horror he realised even as small explosions appeared amid the debris field from the destroyed ship. _Bastards,_ he thought growling softly in anger and feeling an electrostatic tingle throughout his body as his biotics threatened to flare again, _they're targeting the escape pods. Cowards those pods aren't armed or even that well armoured beyond what's needed to survive atmospheric entry they're no threat to anyone._

A faint shiver of recoil ran through the deck beneath him as the _Prometheus_ fired both her main mass accelerator cannons at the Minbari dreadnought over New Hibernia, a thrum following as the forward plasma cannons also fired. The destroyer and frigates supporting them fired at the same time sending metal slugs and plasma bolts of their own at the huge Minbari warship. _See how you like picking on someone who can hit you back,_ Alan thought watching as the mass accelerator rounds reached their target and slammed home on its aft sections.

* * *

The five mass accelerator slugs from the _Prometheus_ and her supporting ships slammed into the main gravitic drive fin and aft sections of the war cruiser _Honours Blade_ with immense force, shattering layers of aft armour and tearing a massive chunk out of the drive fin which by its very nature was only very lightly armoured.

_Honours Blade_ shook violently with the impact, throwing Minbari crewmen off their feet or out of their chairs as the shockwaves rattled through the ship. Plasma bolts encased in fading dark energy fields followed – blowing through cracked and shattered polycrystalline armour to burn through the vulnerable metal hull underneath. Secondary explosions erupted immediately as multiple compartments explosively decompressed sucking crew and equipment out into space through the resultant breaches in the hull.

Immediately the _Honours Blade_ ceased firing upon the civilian ships and remaining defence satellites and began to turn to engage the bigger threat coming in from behind. With its main drive fin damaged the cruisers manoeuvres were slow and sluggish – allowing a second volley of ferrous tungsten slugs to slam into the starboard side of the cruiser as it struggled to turn. One five kilogram slug fired by one of the frigates slammed into the already weakened aft drive fin, physically tearing the aft two thirds of the fin off the ship as the already weakened metal tore like tissue paper even as explosions burst along the ships starboard side as plasma bolts pummelled weakened armour segments.

Seemingly incensed at the heavy damage she was taking the _Honours Blade_ fired defiantly back with the few weapons that could bear on her enemies. Yellow-green fusion beams sliced across space and impacted the frigate _Macedon_ making its barriers flare brilliant blue as the bulk of the beams energy was refracted back out into space, but enough got through for the fusion density plasma to cut through the thin metalloceramic armour with only minimal resistance to open multiple compartments to space the violent wayward thrust of the resulting explosive decompression making the Euphrates-class attack frigate tumble out of control. The Minbari cruiser struck again targeting the damaged frigate, fusion beams ripping through the collapsing kinetic barriers to cut through the ship and ruptured the anti-proton storage tanks – antimatter met normal matter with the predictably violent response.

It was the _Honours Blade's_ last act of defiance as even as the _Macedon_ erupted into a brilliant explosion a third volley of mass accelerator slugs and plasma bolts along with the twin red jets of the heavy lasers on the wings of the _Prometheus_ slammed into war cruisers starboard side. Already weakened armour shattered like brittle glass under the mass accelerator strikes allowing the plasma bolts and lasers to impact and tear through the metal hull underneath. Secondary explosions erupted through the Sharlin even as dozens of compartments were instantly opened to space. The glowing blue orbs of a pair of disruptor torpedoes launched from the _Prometheus_ flew into the holes and detonated the unstable, rapidly shifting mass effect fields of the warheads spreading through the interior of the ship in a lethal purple-blue glow, tearing the metal of bulkheads, decks and support girders apart from the molecular level up.

Additional explosions erupted throughout the war cruiser as the once mighty vessel began to literally tear itself apart from within, decks and hull components collapsing in upon themselves as the ships internal framework was literally ripped apart. Small panels opened on the cruisers hull and escape pods began launching as Minbari crewmembers hurried to escape as their ship literally fell apart around them. For several moments the Minbari cruiser held together despite the mounting damage before a brilliant explosion came from deep within the ship as the supports for the main quantum gravitic reactor crumbled as the progressive collapse continued. The artificial singularity at the heart of the reactor – suddenly exposed to the tremendous pressure of normal space time – imploded, the result blast of energy and hard radiation ripping the ship apart, reducing the once mighty warship to a spreading plume of plasma, radiation and half molten debris.

* * *

**Minbari War Cruiser Degato**

**That Same Time**

The deep rumbling boom and shockwave of another hit against the side of the ship rattled through the _Degato_ and made Shai Alyt Nalann and his two aides stumble as the ship shuddered with the impact. As the shockwaves died away and gravitational stability returned Nalann studied the holographic field and scowled as he observed the deteriorating situation.

The battle was not going well for his people. Even though the fleet had entered firing range and begun hitting the Terrans back with both neutron cannons and fusion beams the fight was not going as well as he would have liked, as well as any Minbari warrior would have liked. While a number of Terran warships had been destroyed it had not been without a great deal of cost as the Terran weapons were getting more and more accurate as the range continued to close. And that fire was proving devastating, inflicting very heavy damage to his forces. He'd already lost two Sharlin's – the mighty ships literally hammered and torn apart by plasma fire and the Terrans spatial distortion producing torpedoes. The losses among the Tinashi were even worse with several more totally destroyed and three more reduced to shattered, air bleeding wrecks drifting dead in space.

Losses to the enemy fleet was also high but the Terran fleet still outnumbered them and most of the surviving ships were larger vessels that it took some time to bring down, the energy fields around them heavily attenuated Minbari weapons fire so damage to the hulls was minimal, it took time and sustained fire to break down the energy barrier – which had to be some form of defence shield – enough to really burn through the armour and destroy the ship and keeping sustained fire on even the biggest ships long enough to do was proving difficult as a Terran ship in such a situation tended to rapidly manoeuvre away from danger to let its shields recharge all the while laying down withering long range fire.

"Shai Alyt we've just received an urgent communication from the _Sovalii_," Kanier reported stumbling as a glancing blow made the ship shudder once again. "They report that the _Honours Blade_ has been destroyed and they themselves are under heavy fire from four Terran vessels and the defence satellites."

"Understood," Nalann replied not really surprised to hear that the _Honours Blade_ was gone and that the frigates that had jumped in with her were now under heavy fire themselves. He'd known that he was likely sending those ships and the crews on them to their deaths when he'd ordered them to jump in behind enemy lines, but he'd had no choice they'd needed something to distract the enemy so they could get into range to start firing back effectively, jumping those ships in had been the only thing he could think of. Unfortunately it hadn't worked as he'd intended and the Minbari fleet was paying a heavy price for it in blood.

Looking at the battle again – wincing as he saw yet another Tinashi break up, literally tearing itself apart after being struck by a volley of torpedoes, at least that's what he believed to have happened if the purple blue glow rippling over the disintegrating ship was anything to go by – Nalann began to reluctantly face up to reality. The reality that this was a battle he couldn't win, he didn't have enough ships to defeat the Terran forces stationed in this system, especially as many of his ships had been damaged before they could even get into firing range themselves.

"Kanier take a look at the battle tell me what you see," he said looking at his chief aide. Kanier nodded and did as he was told slowly turning in place as he gazed at the total free for all space brawl that the battle was rapidly descending into. The Minbari were getting hit hard and while they were hitting back just as hard if not harder it was obvious – to him at least – that this wasn't a battle they could realistically hope to win, at least not without it turning into a classic Tuzanor victory.

"We can't win," he said after a moment.

"What do you mean we can't win?" Matann demanded hotly. "I will grant you that the Terrans are putting up far more effective resistance than ever thought possible but we'll win this battle. We're Minbari, we always win."

"Not always Matann and Kanier is right we cannot win this we don't have enough ships left intact to have anything more than a Tuzanor victory at the very best," Nalann replied.

Matann gaped at him in momentary disbelief. "We're… we're going to retreat?" he exclaimed in shock, "we… we can't. It's not done."

"It is Matann and there is no dishonour in withdrawing from a battle you cannot realistically win," Nalann answered looking at the younger warrior sternly and with a hint of irritation. Like many of his generation Matann genuinely seemed to believe that they were invincible and found it hard to accept that they weren't that they could indeed loose battles.

"Valen himself said 'only a fool stays and fights to the death when in withdrawing you can score a greater victory'," he added. "While staying and fighting to the last ship and fighter would be an honourable death it wouldn't help our people in the war we face, a war that this battle has shown is going to be a lot harder than anyone had anticipated. We've learned quite a bit about Terran battle tactics in this fight, information that will be vital to our efforts in the greater battle to come."

Matann scowled but nodded to indicate that he understood what Nalann was telling him. Nalann smiled before starting to open his mouth to say something only for his words to be lost in a deep rumbling boom. The _Degato_ rocked violently pitching all three warriors to the floor and from somewhere else in the ship there came the shriek of tearing metal and the concussive rumbling of internal explosions. For several long seconds the ship continued shaking and Nalann began to fear the _Degato_ was about to shake herself apart, but eventually the ship stabilised and he awkwardly got back to his feet, noticing a lightness in his feet as he did so. Artificial gravity was still online but it was obvious that the system had been damaged.

"Damage," he asked looking at Kanier knowing that the _Degato_ had just taken a major hit and from the length of time the ship had been shaken he was willing to bet that that they'd been hit by one of the spatial distortion torpedoes.

"Two direct torpedo hits portside amidships," Kanier confirmed listening to the damage report from the bridge. "Hull ruptured in sections twelve and thirteen on all port decks, heavy collateral damage in all surrounding compartments. Primary port weapons fin inoperative due to power conduits being severed. Lower port fusion cannons are also inoperative for the same reason. Thirty percent power loss."

Nalann scowled at the damage report but told himself that it could have been a hell of a lot worse. Another torpedo or two striking that same section would have almost certainly destroyed the _Degato_ with all hands aboard, or at least damaged her so badly that they would be forced to abandon ship. A brilliant explosion in the holographic field caught his attention and he looked over as the blast faded revealing the spinning debris plume that had once been the Sharlin _Negati. _It was further proof of what he already knew, this was a battle that could not be won with the limited numbers of ships he had, they'd been meant to act as an advanced vanguard for the main force still being assembled at Minbar and not engage in a pitched, full scale fleet battle.

Mentally he sighed before raising his voice to activate the comm. links to the battered and battle scarred survivors of his fleet. "Shai Alyt Nalann to all ships, disengage and withdraw to hyperspace this battle is over, repeat all warships disengage and withdraw."

* * *

**TSV Prometheus**

Commander Chaffin coughed slightly and waved a hand at the haze of smoke that filled the bridge of the _Prometheus_. There forward shields had failed during the last exchange of fire with the last Minbari battlecruiser left in orbit of New Hibernia – a battlecruiser that with support from two more of its kind had eliminated their support ships, though its companions had been destroyed in the process falling prey to disruptor torpedoes and the heavy lasers of the planetary defence platforms. The failure of the forward barrier emitters had allowed neutron beams from the battlecruiser to tear into the forward armour. While the thick plates of ablative metalloceramic alloy had withstood the attack the starboard mass accelerator cannon and some of the forward turrets had been sheered off by the beams causing a number of secondary explosions and electrical fires throughout the ship as some of the energy of the blast travelled down power conduits.

"Keep firing," he ordered focusing his attention on the tactical display as the with a shiver the still operational port mass accelerator fired a slug back at the Minbari vessel, a vessel that appeared to be as battered as them if its pronounced list to starboard was anything to go by. Fired at very close range – for a mass accelerator weapon at least – the twenty-five kilogram slug crossed the distance between them and there target in the literal blink of an eye, smashing straight into the enemy ships battered prow and sending the vessel spinning out of control.

After a few moments the Minbari warship seemed to stabilise itself and Alan noticed that while its bow had been badly gutted by the slug the vessel was still largely intact. _Say one thing about the Minbari, they may be murderous bastards but they know how to build a ship,_ he thought, _if only things had gone better a few weeks ago when we met them._

"Sir we're picking up a massive energy surge on the Minbari vessel," Stevens reported as his console chirped. "Jump point forming ahead of the Minbari, shall we fire before they can jump?"

"No let them go," Alan said watching as the glowing yellow-orange two dimensional funnel of an outbound jump point burst into existence near to the Minbari vessel. Slowly the battered Minbari vessel came about and slipped into the vortex, fleeing back into the safety of hyperspace. As the jump point closed behind the battlecruiser he allowed a soft sigh to escape his lips before turning his head to look at Stevens. "What's the status of the rest of the battle?"

"The battles over sir," Stevens said sounding surprised. "All surviving Minbari warships are retreating into hyperspace. We've won."

"Have we?" Alan mused feeling emotional and physical exhaustion suddenly pulling at him, "we held off the Minbari and drove them into retreat lieutenant but I don't think this is a victory. Too many people – many of them innocent civilian bystanders – have died for it to truly be a victory and this was just round one."

"You think the Minbari will be back sir," Stevens asked.

"I'm sure they will be lieutenant. They don't seem to be the type to just give up after one defeat, they'll be back and probably hit us that much harder next time."

"I guess your right sir. What are your orders now sir?"

"Stand down from battle stations, are they're any escape pods out there from the civilian ships the Minbari destroyed?"

"Yes sir. The Minbari fighters got destroyed by the defence grid before they could take them all out."

"Pass the coordinates to navigation. We've got some scared and hurt people to save. Navigation as soon as you have the coordinates plot an intercept course for the first pods."

"Aye aye sir," Stevens and the officer at navigation replied and set about their tasks.

As the crew carried out their assigned duty Alan leaned back in the command chair and gazed at the tactical display still floating in front of him. The battle was over but he could see it had not been won without a severe cost in ships to both sides – almost all there frigates and destroyers were gone and many of the cruisers had flashing amber indicators next to their transponder codes indicating they were damaged. A large number of Minbari wrecks also littered the battlefield and he wondered just how many of them still had injured or dying crew still trapped aboard them.

_We got lucky this time,_ he thought with a sigh, _the Minbari came in massively overconfident, you could see that in their initial formation. I doubt they'll make that mistake again._ The next time they engaged the Minbari military in battle he didn't doubt that things were going to be harder on both of them.

A great deal harder.


	6. Chapter 5

_**The Babylon Effect**_

Authors Note: I've heard a few people questioning when Shepard is going to make an appearance in this story. He will be soon enough though he won't be quite the confident commander that we're all familiar with as at this point in time he has only recently joined the Alliance military and isn't yet an N7 marine.

* * *

_**Chapter Five**_

**Embassies **

**Presidium, Citadel **

**Widow System, Serpent Nebula **

**Twelve Hours Late**r

Ambassador Anita Goyle resisted the impulse to close her eyes as she sat at her desk in the spacious office she was accorded as the Terran ambassador to the Citadel. On the terminal before her sat a priority communiqué from the Alliance Parliament and though she had already read it she didn't really want to see the words. Words that while they'd become inevitable from the moment the Minbari attacked New Hibernia were still ones she didn't want to see and had hoped she would never see in her life again.

The communiqué was the official Alliance response to the attack on New Hibernia and the murder of innocent civilians by the brutal Minbari attackers, attackers who seemingly had no regard for the rules of civilised warfare as evidenced by their deliberate targeting of escape pods. For the better part of two hours after the attack ended and the first casualty figures came in the full Alliance Parliament had met in closed, emergency session discussing and debating the attack and how they should respond to it. The feeling and vote on the issue had been unanimous, even though the contents of the communiqué was something that the Terran species had hoped they would not be drawn into again. Unfortunately the Minbari aggression and total unwillingness to even try to talk to them – despite repeated attempts at diplomacy – had left them with no other choice.

The communiqué contained the formal declaration of war on the Minbari Federation.

Anita sighed softly as she read through the declaration for the third time, taking in the words and the path her people had been forced to commit themselves to by one races total refusal to talk or accept an honest apology for one mans mistake. _Why didn't they listen,_ she wondered, _why are the Minbari so dead set on war with us? Even if David is right and something extremely valuable or some extremely important Minbari was lost when the __Prometheus__ fired on them does it really justify starting a war? And how does it justify slaughtering civilian transports and killing an innocent Asari Matriarch who attempted to stop the Battle of Jericho from starting?_

Anita was well aware that the destruction of the _Salinos_ and the other two Asari merchant liners over New Hibernia by the Minbari particularly the murder of the commander of the _Salinos_ who'd only recently gone through the biological transition from matron to matriarch had incensed the Asari Republics – the quiet, dignified but still very real anger Councillor Tevos had displayed when she'd told her had made that quite clear. While it was unlikely that the murders would prompt the Asari to join there side in war against the Minbari she was sure it would make them far more willing to provide at least some political and logistical support.

"Ambassador," a familiar voice said drawing Anita out of her latest perusal of the communiqué. She looked up to see Dillon – her personal VI – had appeared in front of her his avatar appearing fully solid and lifelike. Not for the first time she had to hide a smile at the perfectly lifelike holographic projection, it was much better than the translucent, insubstantial holograms that the Citadel had used previously; her people had corrected that by providing the Citadel with more sophisticated holographic projectors. Granted they only worked to improve VI avatars and communication holograms resolution to the point where they seemed real but it was still a major improvement.

"Yes Dillon what is it?" Anita asked though she had a good idea already what the Virtual Intelligence was going to say.

"We've received a message from the Council," the VI confirmed. "They want to see you immediately in the Council Chambers."

Anita nodded, she'd expected the summons and it saved her the job of asking to speak to the Council to relay the decision of the Alliance Parliament on the Minbari issue to them. "Tell them I will be right there," she said transferring a copy of communiqué to her omni-tool as she would need to give it to the Council before powering down her terminal.

"Yes ambassador," Dillon acknowledged before blinking out of existence. As the avatar disappeared Anita sighed and stood up from her desk and slipped out of her spacious office and descended the steps to the main foyer of the building that housed the Alliance, Volus and Elcor embassies along with the office of the C-Sec Executor and the Diplomats Lounge. As she emerged from the stairwell she caught sight of her aide Jon O'Callaghan talking to the Asari receptionist – just passing the time making small talk.

"Jon," she called getting the tall telepaths attention before indicating with a nod that they needed to leave the embassies. Jon nodded and moved up to join her, his expression turning serious and professional as he sensed the urgency colouring her surface thoughts – he could easily sense it even though he wasn't consciously scanning her.

"What is it," he asked as they left the embassies and turned right to make the relatively short journey to the base of the Citadel Tower.

"The Council needs to see us," Anita answered giving her aide a look that said it was very serious, "Parliament has made its decision in response to the Minbari attack on New Hibernia."

"War," Jon asked fearing that he already knew the answer.

"War," Anita confirmed.

"Well I suppose we didn't have a choice," Jon replied grimly as they started across the bridge from the embassies to the sitting area next to one of the ward access points. "The Minbari certainly haven't been interested in diplomacy."

"No they haven't," Anita agreed with a sigh. _And we've been far more patient with them than most species would have been,_ she thought knowing that many other species wouldn't have bothered to keep trying diplomacy with the Minbari after the first attempt following the Prometheus Incident was answered with weapons fire. Indeed that would have been cause for someone like the Turians to have declared war on the Minbari long ago. It didn't stop her feeling though like they'd failed, the diplomatic service was supposed to prevent things like war occurring.

"_Calm down boss,"_ Jon's voice suddenly said in her head, _"your screaming your thoughts all over the place. And we've done all we could. It's not our fault that the Minbari are to boneheaded and arrogant to accept an honest apology for what happened and have instead chosen to start a war over it."_

"Sorry and your right," Anita whispered back appreciating the fact that Jon had been discreet about telling her to calm down and thought spoke as opposed to speaking aloud. She did her best to put the self recrimination out of her mind as they crossed the plaza and passed a Hanar that was in the middle of a heated argument with an irritated Asari C-Sec officer who looked like she was about to flare her biotics at the floating sentient jellyfish.

"Wonder what that's about," she muttered.

"The usual," Jon whispered back having caught enough of the discussion to guess what was going on, the fact that both were annoyed and screaming there thoughts and emotions so loudly that he couldn't help but 'hear' them kind of helped as well. "The Hanar wants to preach about the Enkindlers in the middle of the Presidium, doesn't have an evangelical permit and doesn't seem to twig that in any case this is a no preaching zone."

Anita couldn't help by smile. This happened at least once a month sometimes more often – especially if something new relating to the Protheans was uncovered by archaeologists. "You would think the Hanar priesthood would get the message by now," she said with a grin.

"You would think so but you know how stubborn the Hanar can be when it comes to the Protheans. Trying to get them not to preach about the Enkindlers is harder than getting a Narn and a Centauri to have a discussion without hurling insults and threats at each other."

"True and that's hard enough," Anita agreed with a chuckle as they reached the base of the Citadel Tower. Calmly she typed her authorisation code into the control panel summoning the lift which immediately opened to allow them in. "Here we go into the lions den," she joked as they entered the lift.

Jon chuckled. "Very true," he said as the lift started moving up the tower and began playing familiar music that was both haunting and annoying, prompting a groan from the telepath. "Can't they change the music selection on these lifts once in awhile?" he wondered "would it be so terrible to give us something other than the same old Asari orchestral music to listen to now and again?"

"I know what you mean," Anita replied wincing at the music. She had nothing against Asari musical tastes, in fact she kind of liked some forms of Asari folk music, but hearing the same piece again and again in practically every single lift onboard this gigantic, ancient space station got real old, real fast. Unfortunately the Asari didn't see it that way and since they were the oldest spacefaring race in Citadel Space and the first ones to find the Citadel after the Protheans went the way of the dinosaurs they tended to have the final say on choosing lift music.

To distract herself from the annoying music she looked out the transparent walls of the lift as it cleared the upper lip of the presidium ring. Stretching out before her was the awe inspiring panorama of the densely packed high tech cities that covered the inner surface of the ward arms. Hundreds of craft of all description from small commuter shuttles and taxis to freighters and star liners buzzed around the wards and the various docking facilities spread throughout the great station. And back dropping it all was the shifting purple-blue hues of the Serpent Nebula with a handful of the warships that continuously guarded the station visible in the distance. Though a scene of frenetic activity it was also mesmerising and soothing – indeed she often spent hours before her apartment window just watching the comings and goings of the millions of sentients who called the Citadel home.

With surprising suddenness – as she'd become lost in the view – the lift slowed and stopped, the music vanishing as the door slid open. Taking the lead Anita left the lift and began walking towards the first of three sets of staircases they would have to climb to reach the petitioners stage where she would be able to address the Citadel Council.

As the two of them made there way towards the petitioner's stage on the uppermost level of the council chambers Anita listened carefully to the talk of the other diplomats and high level bureaucrats that routinely milled about this part of the station. Everyone seemed to be talking about the Minbari attack on New Hibernia and the deliberate slaughter of unarmed, barely shielded civilian transport ships by said race during the attack. News of what had happened was already all over the extranet as ISN and the other news networks from every race in Citadel Space were being their normal efficient selves. Many of the various diplomats were talking openly about how there was sure to soon be open war between the Terran Systems Alliance and the Minbari Federation with some even advocating that the Citadel should consider wading in on the Alliance's side.

What surprised Anita was that some of those arguing for the Council to consider going to war were Turians – even though it had been thirty years since the Shanxi Incident the Terran Systems Alliance and the Turian Hierarchy still weren't exactly the best of friends, diplomatic relations between them remained stand offish and distinctly cool. No doubt complaints from the Turians client race the Volus – who were no doubt livid over the destruction of some of their freighters – were behind the diplomats openly talking about the possibility of waging war upon the Minbari. _The calls for war here on the Citadel are only going to get louder once the news of Parliament's decision on the issue breaks,_ she thought, _we are after all aligned to the Council and many will no doubt argue that as such the Minbari attack on us amounts to an attack on every species in Citadel Space._

While Citadel military support against the Minbari would be extremely welcome, Anita knew better than to get her hopes up about it. The Council was notoriously slow to make decisions involving recommending the use of military force, due to the influence of the Asari the Council preferred to use endless rounds of diplomacy and economic sanctions to settle disputes only really resorting to outright military force when given no other alternative. Anita knew the best things they could hope for would be for the Council to agree to provide economic and tactical support and to get the Council Races to take over some of the patrols in the Skyllian Verge or Attican Traverse that were currently handled by Alliance warships – which would let the Alliance Navy divert those forces to the Minbari front while making sure pirates, merc groups and of course the ever troublesome Batarians didn't try to take advantage of the situation.

She put those thoughts out of her mind for now as she and Jon arrived at the petitioner's stage. Across the glass floor beyond the platform – a floor that was the roof of an ornamental garden – the three Councillors stood on their dais waiting for them. As soon as Anita came to a stop Councillor Tevos spoke, beginning the meeting for which the Council had been convened.

"This meeting of the Council is called to order," the eight hundred and fifty-nine year old Asari matriarch said her voice amplified by hidden microphones and speakers so all the diplomats assembling in the viewing galleries on either side could hear her. "The subject of this meeting is the Minbari attack on the Terran system of Jericho and the colony of New Hibernia. The Council recognises Ambassador Anita Goyle at this time."

"Thank you councillor," Anita said stepping up to the terminal at the end of the petitioner's stage so the directional microphone would pick up her words for all to hear. "As most of those gathered here are aware twelve Earth hours ago a force of thirty-four Minbari capital ships, amongst them nine dreadnought analogous, attacked the 64th Border Patrol Flotilla based in the Jericho System. At the start of and during the battle the Minbari deliberately targeted and destroyed civilian vessels beginning with the Asari merchant liner _Salinos_ whose commander bravely volunteered to try and stop the battle through diplomacy only to be cold bloodedly executed. The Alliance offers our deepest sympathies and condolences to the families whose loved ones the Minbari murdered.

"In response to the destruction of the _Salinos_ and the continuous aggressive approach of their warships our forces had no choice but to engage the Minbari in the battle they obviously desired. After a bitter engagement the Minbari forces were defeated the survivors fleeing back into hyperspace but not before considerable damage was done to both sides.

"The attack is the latest in a string of aggressive movements against the Alliance by the military forces of the Minbari Federation. In response to this latest and most blatant act of aggression the full Alliance Parliament met in closed emergency session following the attack. At the conclusion of the session a vote was taken, the results were unanimous," Anita paused for a moment to take a breath and settle her nerves before activating her omni-tool to send the copy of the communiqué to the councillors terminals and the stations achieves before speaking again, "as of midnight tonight Earth Standard Time a formal state of war will exist between the Terran Systems Alliance and the Minbari Federation."

Silence greeted her announcement. Though the Council members, assembled diplomats and bureaucrats had known it was likely to come the reality that the Alliance had just declared war on another government was still deeply shocking. The shock wore off quickly and the various diplomats began quickly talking amongst themselves filling the air with a hubbub of conversation in dozens of languages.

After a few moments Councillor Tevos looked up from her terminal – where like the other council members she'd been reading the Alliance declaration – and pressed a control causing a chime to ring throughout the chamber signalling for silence. As quiet returned to the chamber she spoke.

"Are your people sure that this is the path you wish to go down, ambassador," Tevos asked.

"It's not a question of what we want Councillor, but a question of what the Minbari are forcing us into," Anita replied. "We didn't want a war with the Minbari but they have given us no other choice. We cannot and will not allow their aggression and refusal to even talk to us with anything other than their weapons to continue. If war is what they want which it does indeed appear to be then so be it."

"If you were able to talk to the Minbari would your people be opposed to the idea of ending the war peacefully," Yetoma – the Salarian Councillor – asked.

"Of course not, Councillor we would welcome a peaceful solution to this matter. We are not the Krogan, we don't take pleasure in killing or having to fight anyone. But how can we end this peacefully when the Minbari refuse to even talk to us with anything other than their particle beams?"

The three Council members looked at each other for a moment and exchanged nods before Tevos spoke once again. "The Council is preparing to launch a formal diplomatic mission to Minbari space," she explained, "its goal to prevent or now stop the war that has erupted between your people and the Minbari. They will also convey to the Minbari the displeasure many of the species we represent feel at the destruction of unarmed merchant vessels."

Anita smiled slightly. "I sincerely hope the mission proves successful Councillor," she answered putting sincere relief into her voice. "A peaceful end to this conflict would be in everyone's best interests. However if I maybe so bold given the observed aggression of the Minbari I would not send the diplomatic envoy onboard an unarmed vessel."

"That has occurred to us ambassador," Councillor Valern said speaking for the first time since the meeting had begun. "We will not be sending the diplomatic team aboard an unarmed transport, instead a small task force of ships will be sent to the Alliance/Minbari boarder."

"How many ships," Anita asked concerned knowing that if it was to many ships then the Minbari could feel that they were being threatened by the Citadel races, which would only encourage them to expand their war to encompass the whole of Citadel space – or try to anyway. Anita very much doubted that the Minbari had enough ships or the economic support to take on the industrial, economic and military juggernaut the Citadel represented.

"Four," Valern answered seeing and understanding her concern, the last thing the Council wanted would be to give the Minbari the impression that they were trying to intimidate them into doing what the Council wanted, while at the same time given the almost Krogan aggression of the Minbari they couldn't afford to look weak either. "The diplomatic team will be based aboard the Asari dreadnought _Resplendent Justice_, escorting it will be three frigates, one Salarian and the other two Turian."

Anita blinked and inwardly whistled at the mention of the _Resplendent Justice_. Alliance Naval Intelligence reports she'd read indicated that the aforementioned dreadnought was the newest Ascension-class warship to be constructed by the Asari and incorporated a number of new offensive and defensive technologies and improvements on existing technologies. The new weapons were believed by ANI to be plasma based – which wasn't an unreasonable assumption in Anita's mind. She was well aware that plasma based weapons had been spreading across Citadel Space since her people had first introduced the Turians and through them every race on this side of the galaxy to those kind of weapons during the Shanxi Incident. But no one knew for sure. What they did know however was that the new dreadnought was far more powerful than any vessel currently fielded by the Alliance Navy.

The dreadnought would hopefully be a powerful symbol to the Minbari, a sign that the Citadel while interested in a peaceful meeting was fully prepared to defend themselves should they be attacked. A small force of three frigates escorting the dreadnought would also likely be a sign that the _Resplendent Justice_ wasn't looking for a fight as three frigates was the bare minimum of support ships a dreadnought the size of an Ascension-class ship needed for anti-fighter/anti-bomber duties.

"That should be sufficient to get the message across to the Minbari without coming across as directly threatening them," Anita said after a moment. "Who will be leading this diplomatic effort? And when will it get underway?"

"The mission is being led by Matriarch Benezia," Tevos answered, "she is well regarded among my people as a leader of philosophy and is known to be a tough but fair negotiator. Additional diplomats from the Turian Hierarchy and Salarian Union will be joining her aboard the _Resplendent Justice_ when it arrives here at the Citadel. A Spectre will also be assigned to the mission to ensure her safety."

Anita momentarily grimaced at the mention of the Spectre. It brought back some uncomfortable memories of what had happened three years ago when she'd tried to get N7 Lieutenant David Anderson into the Spectre's. "Which Spectre will it be," Anita asked hoping that the councillors weren't going to mention a certain Turians name. Saren Arterius was not on the Alliance's list of favourite people given his observed methods were extremely brutal even if they did normally get results. Sending someone like him on a mission as delicate as the one the Council was mounting would be asking for trouble, especially as Saren was known to dislike Terrans having lost his older brother Desolas aboard the dreadnought _Demarius_ when she was blasted out of stars over Shanxi along with much of the Turian 32nd Assault Fleet.

"That is not your concern ambassador," Valern said.

"I disagree, Councillor. The diplomatic party will be meeting with a race that currently seems dead set on full scale war with my people," Anita shot back glaring at the Turian. "I believe we deserve to know exactly who is being sent."

Valern looked like he was about to argue only for Tevos to step in and silence him before he spoke with a firm look. "The ambassador is correct, the Alliance has the right to know since this mission involves the very survival of the Terran race," she told Valern firmly before looking back at Anita. "The Spectre in question is a Turian female by the name of Telia Halos. Her task will be to ensure the safety of Matriarch Benezia during the mission.

"As for when the mission will begin," Tevos continued returning to one of Anita's earlier questions, "the _Resplendent Justice_ left Thessia orbit shortly before this meeting began. It will arrive here at the Citadel within three standard days, where upon they will take on the additional diplomats and any final supplies before meeting up with their escort and setting course for Terran territory."

"That will mean factoring in transit time the diplomatic party will reach the boarder of Minbari space in about a week."

"Correct will there be a problem?"

"No. I'll inform my government and arrange for _Resplendent Justice _and her escort to be given top priority clearance to transit the mass relays in our territory."

"In the meantime ambassador the Council would like the Alliance to consider holding off mounting any major offensive operations against the Minbari," Valern said.

"I see no problem with that Councillor," Anita replied, "it will be sometime before our forces are prepared to launch a full scale offensive into Minbari space at any rate. At the moment we are busy focusing on securing our boarders and evacuating the colonists on New Hibernia."

"You believe the Minbari will return," Tevos asked.

"We believe that it's inevitable, Councillor. As do a number of the admirals and generals at Alliance Command. All the information we've gotten from local races, particularly those like the Centauri, Markab and Yolu who have dealt with the Minbari in the past indicates they don't take defeat well and will return to claim revenge," Jon said speaking for the first time since the meeting began as he'd been dealing with Alliance Command while his superior was busy with Parliament and the President. "With this in mind a compulsory evacuation of the civilian population of New Hibernia has been implemented. Additional warships have arrived and the fourth fleet is on the way to the area – when the Minbari come they'll be waiting for them."

"You said that the civilian population are being evacuated what about the military garrison," Valern asked looking at the telepathic Terran in interest. Not for the first time he couldn't help but wonder why so many individuals of multiple species from the part of the galaxy the Terrans referred to as the Orion arm had verifiable telepathic abilities. It was a question he knew the Salarian Special Tasks Group had been working to answer ever since they'd learned of the existence of telepaths after first contact with the Terrans.

"It's being reinforced by a deployment from the 63rd Marine Division and the 356th Infantry Division. All groundside forces have been placed under the command of General Richard 'Firestorm' Franklin. If the Minbari want to take New Hibernia and Jericho then they will have to fight for it."

"Indeed," Valern agreed approvingly. Though he didn't particularly like Terrans that much – as a species they were loud, arrogant and far to powerful militarily and economically for a race who'd only had mass effect technology for just over a century – he had to admit they were good soldiers and were as determined to defend what was there's from Minbari aggression as his own people would have been.

"We would appreciate it if the Alliance kept the Council advised of the outcome of the next confrontation at New Hibernia," Tevos said not even considering arguing with the Alliance against the deployment of troops and warships to the planet. The Terrans like any other race were fully entitled to defend themselves against outside aggression.

"Of course Councillor," Anita replied. "That will be no problem."

"Then if there is no other business," Tevos said looking around and receiving no indication that anyone had anything else to say, "this meeting of the Council is adjourned."

As the three Councillors filed away from the platform Anita moved down off the petitioners stage a profound feeling of relief settling over her. She had feared that the Council would leave the Alliance high and dry against the Minbari, but they weren't instead they were trying to help in the way they saw best by sending a diplomatic emissary albeit one carrying a carrot in one hand and a very big stick in the other. _Who knows maybe Matriarch Benezia will succeed where we have failed and get the Minbari to see sense,_ she thought, _the fact that she'll have the immense firepower of an Ascension-class dreadnought behind her should convince the Minbari that the Council is serious about this._

"That went better than I thought it would," Jon commented from beside her.

"Indeed," Anita agreed. "The Council seems dead serious about ending this war between us and the Minbari by peaceful means if it's at all possible."

"They're very serious about it I didn't sense any deception on the part of any of them. Though Tevos like all Asari is extremely hard to read telepathically in any fashion without her being aware that I'm doing it."

"But you like the challenge of trying," Anita said with a knowing smirk. She knew her aide well and knew the P10 telepath sometimes couldn't resist trying to read Asari without the Asari in question being aware he was doing it, and biotically throwing him into a wall or something for his insolence. Terran telepaths had discovered long ago that Asari were hard for them to read no matter how strong their telepathic gift was, the very nature of the Asari nervous system and how the monogendered aliens reproduced meant their minds were extremely disciplined, discipline that only got harder to breach the older the Asari got.

Jon fidgeted uncomfortably before mumbling that he did. Anita shook her head in mild exasperation knowing they'd had this conversation a few times before. "One of these days some Asari is going to warp your ass Jon if you're not careful," she warned. "And you're to good an aide for me to loose due to injury or worse. I'd hate to have to tell your family you got yourself on the wrong side of a pissed off Asari because you couldn't resist trying to scan her."

Feeling his ears burn at the mild look of rebuke in his bosses face, and in her surface thoughts Jon hurried changed the subject. "Do you think the Council will be able to get the Minbari to see sense and end this war," he asked.

"I hope so, Jon," Anita replied as they both began making their way back to the lift. "I really hope so."

* * *

Authors Note: Phew this chapter is finally finished it's been a right pain to write even though its shorter than the last one. Before anyone asks Benezia is not yet indoctrinated and isn't even aware of what Saren is up to behind the Council's back, indeed at this point in time Saren has yet to meet up with Sovereign/Nazara though he's getting closer to finding him.


	7. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six**_

**TSV Lexington**

**Five Days Later**

The insistent electronic sounding chiming of the general quarters alarm roused Lieutenant Commander John Sheridan out of the light sleep he had settled into. Groaning slightly at the interruption he opened his eyes and absently waved a hand over a sensor by the side of his bed triggering the lights to come on, dimly at first but then rising steadily to normal brightness giving his eyes time to adjust to the changing light levels. Forcing himself to push aside tiredness he got out of bed and moved over to the desk where he'd left his uniform jacket when he'd come in and decided to have a lay down to catch a few minutes of much needed sleep.

In a few moments he had the jacket on and after a quick nip into the bathroom to splash some water on his face he left his quarters to go to the bridge. All around him the corridors of the old Sheffield-class cruiser – one of the few still in active service as the class had entered service a few years before the Shanxi Incident and was thus somewhat outdated compared to other races warships and under gunned compared to the newer Sacramento-class cruisers – were a bustle of activity as crew members moved to their duty stations. He noticed that despite the ongoing chiming of the alarm there was no real sense of urgency in the crew's movements, it wasn't a combat alert after all, instead it was just a general call to stations.

He could guess why the alert had been sounded. The _Lexington_ and the fourteen lighter warships that collectively formed their battle group were heading towards the sectors around the Jericho System as part of the build up of forces along the boarder with the Minbari Federation. A build up that was designed both to halt any Minbari offensives into Alliance space in their tracks and provide a jumping off point for any counter-offensives into Minbari space should the Council's upcoming attempt to negotiate a peaceful settlement fail. However in order to reach Jericho on their current course they had to pass through the edge of a uninhabited system that was packed with space dust and asteroids they had to decelerate to sublight to negotiate the densest parts of the field as even a small rock smacking into a ship when it was travelling at FTL speeds would not be a good thing.

A change in the background humming of the ships systems caught John's attention and he recognised the sound as being the mass effect core spooling down, reducing its dark energy emissions do the point where the ship would enter positive mass and drop back to sublight velocities once more subjected to the laws of normal space-time. A moment later a faint but noticeable shudder ran through the deck letting him know that the ship had dropped below translight speeds – in older classes of warships like this one the inertial dampeners weren't quite able to fully cancel out the extreme inertial forces involved in acceleration/deceleration to/from FTL speeds, they had similar problems fully dampening down the forces involved in transiting mass relays – which meant in older ships it got somewhat bumpy when transiting a relay.

Abruptly the sound of the alarm klaxons changed from a general call to stations to the more insistent screaming of a combat alert. The sudden change in alert status made John jump even as his eyes widened in surprise. _What the hell? Why are we going to battle stations, surely the Minbari couldn't have snuck forces this far into our space without being detected. Hell how would they get here there are no hyperspace beacons this far in,_ he thought as he picked up his pace towards the bridge, so that he was half running as the corridors turned into a scene of organised chaos as crew members raced to man battle stations.

Within moments he was entering the bridge, he acknowledged the salutes of the two marines on security duty at the entrance with a polite nod even as he entered the bustling activity of the bridge. He wasn't surprised to see Captain Roger Sterns present already – the older man who'd seen action in both the Shanxi Incident and the Dilgar War was sipping a mug of steaming coffee even as he sat alert in the command chair.

"What's going on sir," John asked as he made his way across the bridge to the first officer's station.

"Trouble," Sterns replied looking at his loyal first officer and in his eyes John could see very real concern. "As soon as we dropped to sublight we began picking up coherent tachyon particle emissions ahead of us, the kind produced by a hyperspace beacon."

"A hyperspace beacon here," John answered his eyebrows shooting up in surprise before his eyes narrowed as surprise was replaced with concern. The Alliance had never deployed a hyperspace beacon here; it was off the trade lanes with the local races just like much of Terran space was. The only explanation as to why a hyperspace beacon was present in this system was if someone else had placed it here and there was currently only one race who would even want to do it, and that race was the Minbari. If the Minbari were somehow managing to place hyperspace beacons in systems this far into Terran space without being detected by there boarder patrols then the danger was great as the Minbari would be able to bypass all there current defence lines and potentially hit the outer colonies from the rear as well as being within striking range of some of the midrange colonies and military bases like the massive starbase that served as the Forth Fleet's HQ in the Beta Durani system.

He didn't wait for a response from his commanding officer; instead he logged into his station and brought up a long range sensor feed to see for himself. Sure enough sensors were picking up the coherent continuous tachyon emission of a hyperspace beacon. The beacon was located somewhere ahead of them, presumably hidden somewhere inside the asteroid field that they were slowly approaching. An advisory window opened and he turned to report to Sterns.

"Captain all ships report all battle stations manned and standing ready," he reported.

"Very good commander," Sterns acknowledged. "Navigation set a course to intercept the beacon signal and relay to the helm, we're going to find the beacon and destroy it."

"Aye aye sir," navigation acknowledged.

A moment later a soft shiver ran through the deck and there came the sound of a very distant rumbling as the old cruisers proton/anti-proton main thrusters fired up and the thirty-five year old warship began to accelerate towards the source of the tachyon emissions. The other ships of the battle group matched the move all the while sweeping the surrounding space with their sensors looking for any sign of danger.

Keeping as much of his attention as he could focused on the sensor screens John was the first to spot something ahead of the fleet. Scanners were detecting a series of unpowered metallic constructs ahead amid a dissipating field of gas, hard radiation and dust. Additional elements began to be present and with a jolt of horror John realised what he was looking at.

"Debris field ahead," he called out his hands flying across the haptic interface, desperate to bring in more information. "From the amount of debris my guess is we're looking at the remains of two Euphrates-class attack frigates, a Hades-class destroyer, four troop transports and a Kowloon-class cargo ship."

"Any idea who they were and how they were destroyed," Sterns asked feeling a cold premonition about the destroyed ships.

"The debris shows signs of carbon scoring and extreme spatial sheering forces consistent with a jump point opening. Residual neutron particles are consistent with the main weapons of Minbari capital ships. If I had to guess the Minbari opened a jump point right on top of them. They'd have been destroyed by the spatial distortion of the jump point and close range weapons fire before having any chance to react let alone really defend themselves."

"Any idea who those ships were," Sterns asked.

"We are picking up faint ID transponders consistent with a ships combat data recorder," John replied. "ID codes reveal one of the warships was the _Alexandria_ – a Hades-class destroyer. Last fleet deployment updates from Arcturus indicate she was the lead escort vessel for a convoy of troops and weapons bound for Jericho."

"Damn," Sterns muttered softly lowering his head for a moment knowing thousands of fellow soldiers onboard those ships had been killed by the Minbari. It was obvious how the Minbari had done it; they'd somehow caught the convoy as it crossed the system at sublight by surprise and been able to massacre them all before the startled crews could call for help or offer any sort of resistance. "Note the location in our database and scan for any sign of escape pods."

"I already have captain. No escape pods detected, I am showing debris from several pods looks like at least one ship managed to launch its escape pods – only for the pods to be destroyed. Carbon scoring patterns on the debris are consistent with Minbari plasma beam weapons," John replied his voice hard edged with anger at the callous destruction of the escape pods.

"Boneheaded bastards," someone on the bridge said aloud. Neither John nor Sterns bothered to look to see who it was, as it was a sentiment they both shared. Destroying escape pods was against all the rules of civilised warfare but then again given there observed habit of slaughtering unarmed civilian ships then it was obvious to many in the Alliance military that the Minbari had no respect for the rules of war, at least as most species understood them.

A chirp from the forward scanners drew everyone's attention away from the scene of brutal slaughter and John grateful for the distraction pulled up a feed on his screen. Additional tachyon signals were being detected closer to the asteroid, this time on stellar comm. frequencies and in a bandwidth they knew to be used by the Minbari. Scans were also picking up a vessel; it was small not much bigger than a Kodiak drop shuttle but was clearly Minbari. The silhouette had all the looks of a Minbari built vessel though at this range its outline on the sensor grid was hard to make out in detail as its electronic stealth systems disrupted the scanner beams making the silhouette blurred and indistinct as if it was being looked at through a plane of running water. The craft was moving slowly towards them – seemingly completely unaware of their presence.

"Captain we're picking up a silhouette and Minbari style transmissions," John reported. "Looks like a transport of some kind. Its heading towards us… wait contact is turning away, heading back towards the asteroids and increasing speed. They must have seen us."

"Hmm looks like we might be able to get a little payback and find out how the Minbari managed to bypass our patrols to set up a hyperspace beacon in this system," Sterns said a grim smile appearing on his face. "Helm adjust course to pursue."

"They've got a good head start," John commented looking at the fleeing craft and feeling a twinge of unease at the back of his mind. Something was wrong here, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. "We won't catch them before they enter the asteroid field and with all the dust and rock in there flying in such chaotic orbits they'll soon disappear off our screens."

Sterns frowned but knew his XO had a good point. While Terran warships were extremely fast and agile for capital ships – a trait all mass effect using warships shared – they still couldn't match the acceleration and manoeuvrability of something as small as the Minbari transport. Not at this kind of range anyway they had to much mass to push and going even close to FTL speeds in this system was not a good idea, not so close to the asteroid field anyway. That didn't mean however he was going to let the transport get away.

After a moment he pressed a control on the arm of his chair. There was another way of dealing with the Minbari transport, a way of running it down and stopping it to allow the capital ships to close range and capture it. "Launch bay this is the captain, launch solo fighter. I want that transport intercepted and disabled."

"Aye aye sir."

* * *

**Eagle Seven**

**A Few Moments Later**

Lieutenant Ganya Ivanov grunted slightly as with a surge of incredible acceleration – which the dampeners weren't able to fully eliminate – his Scorpion-class attack fighter was hurled down its launch tube into open space. Recovering rapidly he brought his fighter around and started heading towards the fleeing Minbari transport.

"He's got a good head start on you Eagle Seven," the _Lexington's_ Landing Signals Officer or LSO told him via his helmet comm.

"Roger that going to maximum thrust," he acknowledged moving the throttle forward bringing the fighters hybrid fusion/anti-proton drive to full power. Superheated, hyper-accelerated plasma boosted by the incredible energies of matter-antimatter mutual annihilation screamed into space from his twin thrusters and with a momentary surge of acceleration before the inertial dampeners compensated the Scorpion blasted forwards with a speed that would have made the cheetahs of Earth's African plains green with envy.

With the fighters mass effect field countering the inertia and reducing the effective weight from a few hundred tons to at most one ton the fighter ate up the distance with the Minbari craft. In mere moments the alien craft came into range of his fighters energy weapons and with a flick of his eyes his helmet HUD triggered the weapons to begin powering up. Energy surged from the fusion power plant to the capacitors for his wing and nose mounted pulse lasers and the disruptor rocket pods slug under his wings as well as automatically powering up the fighters kinetic barrier generator – a momentary flash of blue appeared in his view port as the energy shield was established, though he paid it no mind.

Instead he focused on his quarry and frowned when ahead of him the alien craft abruptly flamed out and flipped end over end seemingly completely out of control. _Maybe the pilots overstressed his engines trying to escape us,_ he thought as with another eye movement he opened the link with the _Lexington._

"Eagle Seven to _Lexington_ target has flamed out, repeat target has flamed out."

"Roger that, Eagle Seven. Hold position and observe."

"Understood," Ganya acknowledged and took the time to visually examine the alien vessel as he'd never seen a Minbari ship up close before. It was a strange, elegant design whose lines faintly reminded him of some Asari spacecraft – it had the same kind of vaguely organic curves to its design, conveying both a sense of power and aesthetics but the crystalline look of the light blue hull – so different from super-dense, super-strong silver-white metal that the Asari generally used in starship construction – was a dead give away that it was completely alien to anything created by the monogendered, long living species who'd been in space since long before the birth of the Roman Empire back on Earth.

The Minbari craft was spinning slowly in space – giving all the signs of being disabled – yet he began to get the sense that something was wrong. The Minbari vessel was still jamming the bulk of his sensors but a visual inspection showed no evidence of any damage to it, certainly the fins – which he knew from Centauri and Brakiri vessels were essential components of a gravimetric drive system – were completely intact. Surely if the Minbari's engines had spectacularly failed there would have been some evidence of damage to them.

Confusion and concern growing he moved his fighter a little closer before concentrating slightly on a small cybernetic implant built into his skull. The implant – which in basic design and principle was not that different to the implants Terran biotics got – came to life and engaged the psionic amplifier slotting into its jack port just below the hairline at the nape of his neck. Immediately he felt his awareness expanded as the low level telepathic gift he like his little sister Susan had inherited from their mother was boosted by the amp. Reaching out with his expanded consciousness he tried to get a sense of the minds of his Minbari opposite numbers.

He wasn't surprised to sense only a single mind present on the Minbari transport – a craft that size didn't have room for much in the way of crew after all. But strangely he sensed no fear in the mind of the alien pilot, only a sense of simmering anger, expectation and pleasure. Concern growing Ganya pushed harder trying to get a deeper sense of the alien pilot and what he – somehow he just knew the pilot to be a male – was really up to. The alien mind quaked as the Minbari pilot abruptly sensed that his mind was being invaded and for a moment Ganya caught a glimpse of the task force exploding in his minds eye as three Minbari warships appeared from hyperspace right on top of them, then some kind of training or conditioning threw him out of the Minbari's mind.

Rapidly recovering from the forceful expulsion from the alien mind and eyes widening in horrified understanding of what was really happening, what the Minbari were really doing, Ganya flicked open the comm. link with the _Lexington_ and the rest of the battle group – a group that according to the sensor screen was only a minute or two from his position.

"Eagle Seven to _Lexington_, it's a trap," he practically screamed into the encrypted channel, his Russian accent becoming even thicker than it normally was in his alarm. "The Minbari are going to jump out of hyperspace right on top of us, break off, break off now."

Even as he screamed the last word his threat board screamed a warning as the Minbari transport abruptly ceased playing possum, spinning towards him and painting him with its targeting scanners. Reflexively he jinked the fighter to the side to avoid a yellow-green energy beam that erupted from the suddenly stable Minbari transport. The bulk of the beam of fusion plasma skidded past but some clawed at his fighter's kinetic barrier, the shield flashing blue as it dissipated the kinetic force and small amount of superheated matter away from the hull. _Oh no you don't you bonehead,_ he thought as a shield corrosion warning screamed in his ears before dodging another beam more successfully and diving into the asteroids.

The alien vessel followed firing beam after beam of plasmatic death at him in an attempt to shoot him down but almost immediately the differences between their ships became apparent. The Minbari vessel might have better weapons but it couldn't match the acceleration and manoeuvrability of the Scorpion fighter as beam after beam hit rocks instead of Ganya.

"Let's see how you like this," he muttered to himself in his native Russian before firing a barrage of laser blasts at a small nickel-iron-ice meteorite that was directly in his path, drilling the rock with dense bolts of coherent photons that rapidly heated sections of the rock up as they decayed. Suddenly subjected to intense thermal stresses the ancient rock shattered instantly under the intense bombardment of energy. Ganya pulled up as the rock disintegrated a few smaller bits of rock bouncing off his ventral shield before being vaporised in the energy wash of his engines. His adversary however was unable to react quickly enough and ran straight into the crude natural fragmentation bomb.

Chunks of semi-molten rock smacked into the transport damaging one of its fins and sending it spinning out of control. Before the pilot could recover Ganya was on top of him firing a barrage of laser blasts that drilled into the crystalline hull of the Minbari prompting a brilliant sparkle of diffusion as the material absorbed and refracted the bulk of the energy away into space though carbon scoring began to appear as molecular thin layers of crystal melted away. A flick of a switch sent a disruptor rocket slamming into the tail of the craft and Ganya grinned as the familiar flickering dark blue glow of dark energy enveloped the tail making chips and chunks of crystal and metal fly off as it was torn apart at the molecular level by the unstable mass effect fields.

The Minbari lurched forward and began to tumble again leaking some sort of fluid from its aft section even as the dark energy dissipated leaving it's once elegant aft section a mass of tangled metal and shattered polycrystalline material. For a moment Ganya was tempted to finish the craft off with another rocket or a barrage of laser fire, but ultimately he decided against it – the craft was no longer a threat and both it and its pilot might still provide valuable intelligence data, so he deployed a marker drone to record its position and swung around to get out of the asteroids and see how the rest of the task force was doing hoping and praying that his warning had gotten to them in time and that they would be there waiting for him.

* * *

**TSV Lexington**

**A Few Minutes Earlier**

"Eagle Seven to _Lexington_, it's a trap. The Minbari are going to jump out of hyperspace right on top of us, break off, break off now."

As the strongly Russian accented voice of Eagle Seven's pilot screamed across the bridge comm. channels Captain Sterns eyes widened in both surprise and horrified comprehension. If the Minbari jumped out of hyperspace right on top of them they'd be destroyed before they could even hope to react let alone defend themselves, just like the _Alexandria _and her troop convoy had been. The trap was brilliant in its simplicity and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of admiration for the cunning displayed by the enemy even as he burst into action to evade the planned ambush.

"Fleet command to all ships, evasive manoeuvres I repeat all ships evasive manoeuvres," he ordered into his chair communicator, relaying the instruction to the other ships.

Immediately he felt a violent shudder run through the deck as the helmsman briefly fired both the deceleration thrusters – violently cancelling out at least some of the forward momentum of the main drives – and the _Lexington's_ port side navigational thrusters at full power physically yanking the old cruiser onto a new vector. The faint rumble of the engines increased as the main thrusters returned to full power – propelling the cruiser onto her new vector. _Please God let us be in time to get out of this with our lives and turn the Minbari's trap back on them,_ he thought a few milliseconds before an energy wave of tremendous proportions violently rocked the _Lexington_.

* * *

As the formation the _Lexington_ and her fleet had been maintaining split apart as ships hurried to move onto new vectors – space near the far edge of the fleet warped and distorted. The blue glowing two-dimensional funnel of an incoming jump point burst into existence with a silent scream of power, releasing in one instance more energy than the broadsides from a dozen dreadnoughts. The wave of intense energy and spatial distortion enveloped four of the twelve frigates that made up the bulk of the _Lexington_ task group, instantly pulverising there hulls and tearing internal superstructure apart in a whirlwind of destruction.

As the four unfortunate frigates dissolved into energised flotsam in brilliant but shored lived bursts of antimatter-fuelled plasma flame, a massive Minbari war cruiser and two war frigates charged out of the glowing rent in the space-time continuum firing as they came. However to any observer it would have been immediately obvious that the Minbari had not intended for their ambush to be detected, certainly not in time for there intended victims to take evasive action. As instead of instantly eviscerating the _Lexington_ and the two Hades-class destroyers she had in close escort, the bulk of the initial barrage of green and yellow-green beams discharged there destructive energy harmlessly in space. Only a single yellow-green beam got anywhere near hitting its target – glancing against the aft kinetic barriers of one destroyer _Rubicon_, the shield lit up a brilliant blue as the repulsive mass effect fields of the barrier defocused and dissipated the heat and kinetic force of the small amount of fusion-density plasma back out into space.

* * *

**Minbari War Cruiser Drala Fi**

Standing proudly in the Tactical Centre Shai Alyt Traka felt his mouth open in surprise as accompanied by their two supporting Tinashi frigates the mighty Shagotti-class war cruiser charged back into normal space at the coordinates provided by the flyer deployed as an advanced scout. He expected to see almost the whole of the fifteen ship fleet they'd detected dropping to sublight in the system broken and burning – torn to pieces by the immense energies of the jump point with the survivors easy pickings for the neutron and fusion cannons.

What he saw instead on the three dimensional holographic field surrounding him and his aide was very different to what he had expected. Only four Terran ships had been caught in the jump point opening and torn apart by the combination of the energies of the jump point interface and the detonation of the antimatter that Terran warships seemed to use to provide there warships with an incredible delta-v reserve. Instead of together in close formation the Terran fleet had abruptly split apart – warships moving away into a much wider and more evasive formation. The gunners didn't have time to react to the changed pattern so the bulk of there initial volley – intended to finish off an enemy who would have been confused and disorientated – did nothing, the energy dissipating in space with only one fusion beam merely clipping its target and bouncing off the strange fields of exotic energy that Terran warships used as part of there admittedly formidable defences.

He could think of only one explanation for the contradiction. "They knew," he exclaimed in shock and realisation. "They knew we were going to jump into the very middle of there fleet and took avoiding action. But how did they know?"

"Shai Alyt we're receiving a signal from our scout," his aide Tannier reported as he listened to a report from the bridge on a small headset he had slipped in one ear. "The Terrans launched a fighter after the scout as planned; however it appears the fighters pilot is a telepath who was somehow able to read the pilots mind at the last possible moment. The pilot warned his people before disabling the scout."

Traka blinked in surprise. A telepath who was a fighter pilot? That was unusual to say the least but it went some way towards explaining how the Terrans had discovered there trap. But how had the telepath been able to get that information without a direct line of sight to the flyers pilot? And why hadn't the anti-Psi mental training all members of the warrior caste underwent kept the telepath from so easily reading the pilots mind? _Yet another puzzle for our scientists to figure out about these Terrans,_ he thought, _along with how in Valen's name they can travel at FTL speeds in normal space, how those torpedoes of there's work to make spatial distortions and how they can see through our stealth systems._

"I see, have the bridge tag that fighter, disable it so we can later grapple it and bring it aboard. I want to interrogate the pilot and find out how he or she accomplished that," he ordered. "In the meantime we have an unexpected battle to win. So much the better."

"Yes Shai Alyt," Tannier acknowledged before using his comm. link to relay the capture order to the bridge.

Turning his full attention to the holographic field Traka observed the Terran warships attempting to assume battle formation so they could engage the forces under his command. Traka's gunners were not making it easy for them, firing neutron cannons and fusion beams nearly continuously forcing the Terran ships to take evasive manoeuvres as they tried to evade destruction. The manoeuvres were being surprisingly effective as much of the volume of fire being directed at the Terran ships was missing them by miles – the ships were extremely fast and agile, flying more like fighters than capital ships – but they weren't quite effective enough as he observed a pair of neutron beams strike one of the smaller ones. The emerald beams passing through its defence field as if it weren't there to cut through the thinly armoured hull before lancing through the entire ship and coming out the other side.

As the doomed alien vessel disintegrated in a fireball four of its companions literally flipped one hundred and eighty degrees – bringing there main weapons to bear on the Minbari even as the continued to pull away, clearly hoping to get far enough away to exploit the massive range advantage the Terrans had over the Minbari. All four vessels fired, each unleashing a single metal slug and a pair of the blue glowing, spatial distortion producing torpedoes that had been shown to be frightening deadly.

The barrage of mass accelerator rounds streaked across space and all slammed into the forward hull of the frigate _Far Striker_. Polycrystalline armour shattered under the enormous kinetic force of the impact and a jet of venting atmosphere appeared confirming that the frigates hull had been breached. The frigate visibly shuddered with the impact even as its fusion beams began firing defensively at the incoming torpedoes – shooting the relatively slow moving weapons down before they could impact and destroy the frigate.

Traka scowled as he saw the four direct strikes on the _Far Striker_. It further confirmed something that many of his fellow Shai Alyt's had begun to realise after the disastrous battle at Jericho but which the caste elders were still somewhat unwilling to grasp. The Terrans had found away to at least partially breach the stealth systems that had kept Minbari warships safe from harm for generations.

"Shai Alyt Traka to all ships," he ordered raising his voice slightly so the comm. system would relay his instructions to the bridge and the rest of the fleet. "Increase to flank speed; we cannot let the enemy get the range on us. Launch primary Niall squadrons, all fighters concentrate fire on the smaller warships."

Even as he finished speaking the Terran ships hit the _Far Striker_ again, slamming a second barrage of four mass accelerator slugs and eight blue-white plasma bolts into the frigates vulnerable forward hull. Travelling faster than the plasma bolts the metal slugs arrived first each ripping through the metal hull beneath the shattered polycrystalline armour like it was made of paper, to shatter inside the ship as they encountered the solidly built hull support struts though that only made the destruction worse as hypervelocity shards of metal and crystal whizzed through the interior of the frigate like razor blades slicing through metal, alloy, crystal and flesh with effortless ease, pulverising everything in their path. Multiple compartments across the forward decks violently decompressed sucking dozens of crew members out into space before internal bulkhead doors could slam closed, sealing the damaged forward decks off from the rest of the ship.

Its nose crumpled and torn the _Far Striker_ visibly staggered in space and started to drift out of formation, trailing venting atmosphere, debris and the freezing bodies of those unfortunate crew members who'd been sucked out into space. Then the plasma bolts arrived, smashing through the gaps blown in the hull and exploding inside the ship flooding multiple compartments with superheated matter, secondary explosions erupted and slowly the frigate began to disintegrate, tearing itself apart from the inside out as the intense heat of the plasma assault vaporised key structural supports, hopelessly compromising the ships already battered internal space frame.

"Shai Alyt the _Far Striker_ reports massive damage," Tannier reported unnecessarily as he listened to a communication from the bridge. "The Alyt in command reports her ship is fatally damaged and enduring massive structural failure, they have begun emergency evacuation procedures."

Traka nodded and started to open his mouth to order some Nialls to cover the escape pods that would inevitably begin leaving the dying _Far Striker_. But before he could speak there came a deep rumbling boom – almost as though a million base drums were being struck at once and abruptly the ship rocked violently pitching Traka and his aide to the deck. For several seconds the shaking continued and Traka could faintly hear the shriek of tearing metal and the distant concussive rumbling off internal explosions. The holographic field flickered, washed with static and almost evaporated even as the shaking finally eased before stopping altogether.

"Damage report," Traka asked picking himself up off the deck knowing that damage was inevitable as the shaking they'd just experienced confirmed that the _Drala Fi _had taken a major hit presumably a torpedo based on the duration of the shaking.

"Direct torpedo hit to our lower port drive fin," Tannier confirmed as he also picked himself up, blanching as he listened to the damage report from the bridge. "The lower two thirds of the fin have been torn completely off the ship by intense spatial distortions. Lower port neutron and fusion cannons are off line due to destruction or damage. Collateral damage in all lower port side compartments. Electrical fires have been detected throughout the ship, fire control crews responding. Forty percent power loss. Primary propulsion is down until the workers can reconfigure the gravitic drive to compensate for the loss of the lower port fins field projector units."

Traka scowled slightly at the report, inwardly cursing. Of all the places to get hit why did it have to be one of the drive fins? The answer was pretty obvious, the Terrans knew that the Minbari gravitic drives had a critical weakness – the projector units mounted on the edges of the fins had little to no armour protecting them as to armour them heavily would massively impede there effectiveness. It was a weakness that all warships with a purely gravitic propulsion system had, a weakness that had now come back to bite Traka in the ass as without the lower port fin even manoeuvring the _Drala Fi_ for something as simple as a course correction would be next to impossible and they could forget about combat manoeuvres at least until the worker caste engineers reconfigured the other field emitters to compensate, a process that could take up to several minutes.

"Tell the workers to use all haste we cannot afford to be without any real manoeuvrability," he ordered.

"Yes Shai Alyt," Tannier acknowledge a moment before the _Drala Fi_ rocked with the impact of another volley of enemy fire making both himself and Traka stumble as there bodies were pulled sideways by the momentary loss of gravitational stability. Stability returned after a few moments as inertial dampeners compensated for the shockwaves.

Traka's frown deepened and he started to open his mouth to request an additional damage report when a third even more powerful blast rocked the ship; both himself and Tannier were thrown momentarily into the air before being slammed to the deck for the second time in as many minutes. From all around he heard the shrieking of metal and the rumbling of internal explosions, something landed on the back of his head bone with stinging force even as the holographic field flickered and died. From overhead there came a rumbling boom a moment before mere centimetres from him one of the holographic projector nodes, trailing sparking cables crashed to the deck. Faintly he heard a shriek of pain from Tannier accompanied by the sound of metal hitting the floor as more components of the complex holographic projection system came crashing down from above. _In Valen's name the projector is breaking up,_ he thought before the deck finally stabilised and he was able to get back to his feet.

He turned to speak to Tannier, knowing they needed to get out of the Tactical Centre before the _Drala Fi_ took another hit as he doubted the projectors support structure would survive another blast, only to see that there was no point. Tannier's lifeless body lay half crushed beneath another projector node, sightless eyes staring up at the ceiling. As calmly as he could Traka moved over to his loyal aides lifeless body.

"Valen go with you old friend," he said softly as he reached down and closed Tannier's eyes, he would be sure to light a candle to light his friends soul's journey to the place where no Shadows fell later, assuming of course he survived this battle with the Terrans – a battle that was clearly not going well for his people. Then he stood back up and hurried out of the Tactical Centre.

He emerged into a chaotic scene.

The corridors outside the Tactical Centre were filled with smoke and littered with debris and the bodies of crew members who'd either been killed or knocked against the bulkheads by the last attack, impacts that had robbed them of consciousness. In the distance he could hear cries of pain, the hissing of sparks and the crackling roar of the electrical fires that were burning all over the ship. Underpinning it all was the melodic chiming of alarms, warning of the heavy damage the cruiser had sustained, and the sound of frantic orders being barked. The main lights were off with only pale blue emergency lights being active.

After taking a moment to get his bearings in the smoke clouded, debris strewn corridor Traka started moving in the direction of a stairwell that would let him ascend a few levels to the same level the bridge was on. He had only taken a handful of steps when the sound of running feet from ahead caught his attention and he stopped.

Just in time to avoid a collision with several warriors coming around the corner. Each was armed with a denn'bok and a fusion blaster, with two holding larger and more powerful fusion rifles. They paused at the sight of him and looks of relief appeared on there faces.

"Shai Alyt! Thank Valen you're alright," one of the warriors said and Traka recognised him as being one of the bridge security guards, explaining why he was carrying a fusion rifle. "When the bridge couldn't establish contact with the Tactical Centre we feared the worst."

"I'm alright though my aide was killed when part of the holographic projection system collapsed in the last hit," Traka replied. "What's happening with the battle? And where are you going with such armaments?"

The lead warrior – Burell of the Wind Swords if Traka remembered his name correctly – looked uncomfortable as if he was having trouble believing the news he was about to impart. "Shai Alyt the battle is over, we've… we've lost," he said his voice shaking as he continued. "Our last frigate _Blood of Souls_ has been destroyed as have all our fighters. Main power is out throughout the ship and we have boarding craft approaching from the remaining Terran ships. Automatic self destruct is down and main engineering is open to space, the last hit blew off our aft drive fin and caused a large hull breach on the engineering levels, so we're unable to manually arm self destruct."

Traka's eyes narrowed in outrage at the knowledge that his ship – battle scarred and battered halfway to destruction as it was – was about to be defiled by Terran boarding parties. "So the Terrans think they can take my ship do they," he said softly more to himself. "Give me a pistol I'll join you in the defence."

"Shai Alyt it would be better if you went to the bridge," Burell counselled.

Traka shook his head. "If we're in as bad a condition as you say there is nothing I can do up there," he said taking his denn'bok from its storage slot on his belt. "It would be better for me to join you in the defence of the ship. The Terrans aren't going to have the _Drala Fi_ unless its over my dead body."

For a moment Burell looked like he was about to argue further but then he nodded and handed Traka the fusion blaster he had on his belt as a backup for his rifle. "Based on the sensor readings the Terrans are heading right for all of our airlocks, we've been ordered to defend starboard airlock 12," he explained.

"Then let us go," Traka said checking the fusion blasters charge before turning and leading the way down the corridor in the direction of the airlock. The other warriors falling into a well ordered formation around him as they hurried to get to the vestibule hallway connecting the airlock chamber with the interior of the ship, ready to defend the _Drala Fi_ and drive the boarders back onto their ships…

… Or die trying.

* * *

It took only a few minutes for Traka to lead Burell and the other warriors to the vestibule that connected the airlock they needed to defend to the interior of the _Drala Fi_. As they took up defensive positions Traka kept his eyes focused on the outer door of the airlock chamber. The blast shields had been lowered over the door – obscuring the chamber behind a wall of light blue metal and he smiled slightly knowing that the polycrystalline reinforced alloy the shield was made from was extremely strong as the shields purpose was to prevent explosive decompression of the interior of the ship should the airlock be struck by enemy fire.

It was a feature that had been a part of Minbari warship design since the beginning and one that Traka – like most other warriors – hadn't seen the point of. After all Minbari warships – protected as they were by the stealth field and dense polycrystalline armour – were supposed to be invincible and impervious to harm from the younger races. But now that belief in the invincible nature of his peoples warships had been shattered as the illusion it was Traka blessed the worker caste who'd stubbornly refused to remove the airlock blast shields from the design of warships, despite intense pressure from the warrior caste.

Abruptly a strange pulsing humming and groaning coming from the blast shield caught his attention and he watched in shock as four points on the shield began to glow with a blue light. The light spread across the door and before the stunned eyes of the assembled warriors the shield began to visibly distort and bend as it molecular structure was subjected to intense stress. After a few seconds four explosions erupted from the points where the blue light had initially appeared and the shield shattered – shredding apart like paper sending smoke and debris flying into the vestibule corridor.

Traka flattened himself against the bulkhead and shielded his head as best he could as a lethal barrage of metallic and crystalline shrapnel filled the air. He hissed in pain as he felt some of the razor sharp shards of metal and crystal slice through parts of his uniform to cut and rend parts of his flesh. Simultaneously the thunderous rumble of the explosion assault his ears and beneath his feet he felt the deck tremble slightly as the concussive wave of the explosion rattled through the ships superstructure. As the explosion died away his ears continued to ring to the point that he barely heard two small clinking sounds. Frowning in confusion he started to lower his arms to find out what had made the bizarre sound...

...only for the world to abruptly explode in a blaze of fierce white light and high frequency sound that seemed to drill into his brain and set his very thoughts on fire. Howling in pain he staggered blindly, drunkenly and was only faintly aware of the cries of his brothers and the harsh sound of boots on deck. Something abruptly grabbed him and suddenly his feet left the deck and as awareness of the world returned and the agony retreated to nothing more than a throbbing headache and a tinnitus-like ringing in his ears Traka found himself floating in the air, surrounded by a blue energy field. _What in Valen's name_, he thought as he tried to struggle only to find himself completely immobile in the fields grip, he couldn't even blink his whole body was just frozen in the grip of the odd energy.

Abruptly the field disappeared and Traka slammed into the deck with enough force that the breath was instantly ripped from his lungs with an audible _whumph_. Desperately he tried to get his breath back and recover, only for an alien humanoid figure dressed head to toe in some kind of armour to appear over him – the muzzle of a large and intimidating looking alien pistol pointed right between his eyes.

"Don't move," the alien said surprising Traka by speaking – or seeming to speak – perfect warrior caste Minbari. Traka froze and looked up past the muzzle of the pistol at the alien face visible through the transparent faceplate of his helmet. He was surprised immediately by two things, one that aside from having strange tufts of hair over the eyes the face was remarkably Minbari-like and two that the alien male appeared to be quite young. The alien met his gaze and in his blue eyes Traka saw a determination and strength of will that would make any Minbari warrior proud, to see it in an alien was shocking. Even more so given the fact that the male was a member of the race who'd murdered Dukhat and filled the Minbari with a rage unlike anything they had felt in nearly a thousand years.

A bolt of green plasma abruptly struck the alien but to Traka's shock the blast didn't harm him. Instead the bolt of plasma impacted a translucent blue energy field that appeared to block the attack, dissipating the heat and kinetic energy of the attack away from the alien in a soft shimmer. Traka gaped in disbelief as he realised what he had just witnessed. _In Valen's name they have shields,_ he thought, _there armour like there warships has somekind of defensive energy force field. Who are these Terrans? Where the hell did they get that kind of technology? Wherever they got it from its damned useful._

His shock only mounted when the alien glanced to one side as another bolt of plasma washed harmlessly off his shield, before abruptly being surrounded by a deep blue glow. The alien raised its free hand and a ball of energy formed in the hand before the alien made a throwing motion. The ball of energy flew from the hand, Traka followed it with his eyes and watched as it struck Burell dead centre in the middle of his chest.

The attack visibly picked Burell up and sent him smashing into the far bulkhead with enough force that he left a visible dent. Burell crumpled to the deck, unconscious or dead from the impact. Additional aliens appeared moving in on his downed fellow warriors, all of them armed with powerful and formidable looking rifles. He could only watch as the Terran soldiers started to put some binders on them, clearly intending to take them prisoner rather than do the honourable thing and give them a warriors death.

Infuriated and terrified something in Traka snapped. With a snarl he leapt to his feet, pushing the alien right in front of him back before opening his denn'bok with a sharp snap. Snarling he took a swing at the Terran, only for the alien to abruptly glow blue again and simply move, scooting out of the way of the sweep leaving nothing but a mist. Snarling Traka tried again only for the alien soldier to again effortlessly dodge his swing so the fighting pike impacted the bulkhead. The moments delay as Traka tried to recover from the transmitted shock of the impact was all the time the alien needed as a ball of energy appeared in his hand again but this time the alien made a lifting motion. The ball of energy flew from his hand, Traka tried to dodge but there was no time and he suddenly found himself yanked into the air hard.

He shot upwards towards the ceiling only to abruptly feel as if he was hit with a giant fly swatter from above and sent catapulting down to the deck again. He impacted with enormous force, feeling and hearing his right arm break in two places prompting a howl of pain from his lips even as the breath was again ripped out of his lungs.

The Terran soldier approached and Traka tried to fight through the searing pain in his right side to strike at the alien again, but couldn't as the alien flipped him over onto his back and yanked his arms behind him, prompting another scream from his lips as his broken arm was jolted. Something cold and metallic slipped around his wrists before the alien began spreading what felt like a gel over his wounded right arm and over the cuts on both forearms from the flying debris. Immediately Traka felt the pain ease to a dull throbbing at first then fade away to nothing.

"That should do you for now," the Terran said before yanking him to his feet and turning him so Traka could look into his face. Traka stared wondering why the alien had seemingly treated his wounds.

"You treated my wounds, why?" he asked.

The alien frowned. "Why wouldn't I," he asked as if he wondered why Traka was even asking. Without waiting for a reply the soldier started pushing him in the direction of the airlock.

"Where are you taking me," Traka demanded.

"To the boarding craft. You and your companions are now our prisoners. Don't worry you'll be treated well as is required by the Citadel Conventions and the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war," the Terran told him as interior of the _Drala Fi_ gave way to the cramped but surprisingly well lit interior of an alien boarding craft.

Traka was escorted to a seat and forced to sit down before the alien took a few steps back and a glowing orange holographic glove and gauntlet appeared around his right forearm. Prompting restraints to fold out of the wall and wrap around Traka's chest and lower legs.

"There now do yourself a favour and don't try to get out as you'll only waste energy," the alien told him. "Those restraints are built to be able to contain creatures that are far stronger and nastier than you Minbari. Your companions will be joining you in a minute."

Without waiting for a reply the Terran turned and started to walk away. "Terran," Traka snapped. "One warrior to another tell me what your name is."

The alien paused and looked at him for a moment before smiling. "I don't see why not," he said. "Its Shepard, Staff Lieutenant John Shepard and you are?"

"Shai Alyt Traka of the Star Riders."

"Pleased to meet you Shai Alyt," Shepard said. "I just wish it was under better circumstances."

With that the alien left and Traka was alone, but only for a few moments. Within moments other Terrans began bringing in the rest of the small group of warriors Traka had led in there failed attempt to defend the airlock. He had to admit that the Terran assault had been professional and fast and those strange grenades of there's that were seemed to be designed to incapacitate coupled with the strange powers Shepard had displayed had meant that they'd had no real chance against them. _Do all Terrans have those powers,_ he wondered, _what are they?_

Within a few moments all his companions had been brought in and sat in seats with active restraints. Then the Terrans withdrew, though out of the corner of his eyes Traka saw one take up station near the entrance, clearly watching them.

"Shai Alyt what's going to happen to us now," Burell asked pain in his voice, clearly he had been hurt by being thrown so hard into the bulkhead by Shepard's strange abilities.

"I don't know Burell," Traka admitted. "I really don't know."

* * *

**TSV Lexington**

**One Hour Later**

"Captain."

Captain Roger Sterns looked up from the damage control report he was reading on his omni-tool when he heard his first officer speak.

"Yes," he asked looking calmly at John Sheridan.

"Updates from the boarding parties sir," John replied. "All resistance on the Minbari dreadnought has ceased. The ship is ours."

Sterns smiled. "Excellent. Contact Alliance Command and advise them of our situation. Request a tow for the disabled dreadnought."

"Aye aye sir."

"Any progress on finding the hyperspace beacon that started all this," Sterns asked. As soon as the boarding parties had embarked for the disabled dreadnought he'd ordered there fighters and the surviving frigates to start sweeping the area of the hyperspace beacon.

"Not yet sir. Its hidden somewhere deeper into the asteroid field. The fighters are having to fly carefully in there to avoid collisions with space debris. We have however recovered the scout craft that attempted to lure us into the ambush. The pilots dead, looks like he poisoned himself after the Minbari warships were defeated."

"Damn," Sterns muttered sadly. He hated it when opponents decided to suicide rather than surrender to them. It was a pointless waste of life. "Is Lieutenant Ivanov still with the search teams?"

"Yes sir he is."

"Have him report to me as soon as the fighters return."

"Aye aye sir," John replied with a smile knowing that his superior wanted to thank the younger man for detected the planned Minbari ambush, presumably having used his psi-amp to get the information out of the scoutships pilot's mind without need for the line of sight that limited the scanning abilities of non-amp telepaths.

"Anything else commander?"

"Not right now sir."

"Good keep me appraised of the progress of the search. Dismissed commander."

"Yes sir."

* * *

**Authors Notes: Well there you go folks. We've had our first meeting with Shepard during a twist on the encounter with the Drala Fi (Black Star). Shepard as you can see is a biotic belonging to the vanguard class though there is a bit of a crossover with the adept class as he's one of the few vanguards capable of creating singularities – though they're naturally not as strong as what a full adept can manage.**

**I decided to go with the psi amp technology in this fic as it does seem to be a logical extension on bio amp technology. For those who are wondering how Ganya Ivanov is telepathic I figured he would likely be a latent telepath just like his little sister Susan Ivanova is.**


	8. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven**_

**Minbari War Cruiser Valen'tha**

**Two Days Later**

Delenn had a small puzzled frown on her face as clad in the black and grey hooded robes of a member of the Grey Council as she walked down the corridors of the newly repaired _Valen'tha_. She had been meditating in her chambers when Lennon had come to see her. His arrival had been a surprise as she hadn't been aware that the Anla'shok leader had come on board, but what he'd spoken to her about was even more surprising.

In a very sombre voice he'd told her that he'd had all of Dukhat's belongings returned to the _Valen'tha_ instead of leaving them with her late mentors family and clan. He'd also told her that he'd had Dukhat's personal sanctum recreated but had left orders with the chambers guards that only himself and Delenn were allowed access for now, he'd also implied that she needed to go there immediately. There had been a strange urgency in Lennon's eyes that she'd never seen in Ranger One's eyes before, a sense that whatever it was he wanted to show her in the recreation was important to the future and very existence of the Minbari people.

It was for that reason that she was walking the familiar corridors to the mediation chamber of the man who had become her second father. Rounding a corner she found the chamber entrance directly ahead of her – two religious caste guards standing ceremonially on either side. For a moment she paused in her advance feeling an ache in her heart and forcing back the tears that wanted to fall by sheer force of will. Dukhat's death was still a deep, raw wound in her soul a wound that she was sure would never really heal. With the surge of grief came a surge of shame as she once again remembered that Dukhat would not have approved of the path the Minbari were currently walking down, waging war on another race in retribution for his death.

The war

Her features hidden by her hood Delenn grimaced as her thoughts turned to the war with the Terrans. The war was not going anywhere nearly as well as the warrior caste had hoped and assured the Grey Council it would. Thousands of Minbari lives had been lost during the handful of confrontations there had been between there military forces and those of the Terrans. In recent weeks the Minbari had endured worst casualties and greater military setbacks than they'd faced since the Great War a thousand years ago. The most recent setback being the capture of the warrior castes greatest warship the _Drala Fi_ with all hands, the Terrans had made no effort at all to hide that they had the ship and its crew. Interstellar news broadcasts – which they'd taken to monitoring since the war began – had shown both repeatedly. The intelligence boon the _Drala Fi_ represented to the Terrans and the security breach it represented to the Minbari did not really bare thinking about.

The death toll on both sides weighed very heavily on her, as she'd been the one who'd cast the deciding vote, the one who in one moment of grief and rage had sent her people into a war that was not only unnecessary but which truth be told they hadn't really been ready to fight, against a species with a vastly different technology base to the norm. And it only promised to get worse as the warrior caste had assembled its largest fleet in generations, a fleet that was by all reports just finishing taking on final supplies at its last staging area and smaller hunter-killer fleets were already heading for the boarder of Terran space. More blood on both sides would soon be spilled in a needless, pointless slaughter and she was powerless to stop it.

Pushing away her emotions and thoughts on the war Delenn forced herself to walk up to the door, the guards made no motions to stop her as she waved a hand over the door sensor. Immediately the doors opened with a soft hiss and taking a deep breath she strode inside, slipping her hood back as the doors closing behind her. For a moment she saw nothing beyond a gloom but as her eyes adjusted she walked deeper into the chamber till she came to Dukhat's meditation bench sitting in a circle of light just below a large triluminary shrine on the wall. The ache in her heart grew worse as she could still see her mentor sat there meditating, the whole chamber seemed to resonate with his presence on some subconscious level, as if his soul was still here watching, unable or unwilling to rejoin the greater well of Minbari souls to be reborn into the next generation of Minbari for some reason.

A soft sound, like fabric gently rustling against the floor from behind her caught her attention and she spun around with a gasp of shock.

An alien being stood before her, huge and strangely graceful in its encounter suit which contained the atmosphere and environment the creature within required to survive in the atmospheric mixture that most species thrived in. A helmet like head merged into a wide sweeping collar from which dangled long robes of incredibly intricate weave that extended all the way to the floor. A single green orb like an eye set into the front of the helmet watched her and small nozzles set into the structure of the collar moved slowly left and right. Despite having never seen the being before she knew instinctively what it was.

It was a Vorlon.

"Are you... are you a Vorlon," she asked seeking confirmation of what her eyes and more importantly her heart were telling her.

The alien moved its head in a subtle nod and a panel on its chest began to pulse with light and she heard a musical sound before the alien spoke. **"Yes,"** it said.

"**Yes,"** another voice with a similar ethereal, musical sound said and a second Vorlon appeared out of the darkness. This one seemed to be slightly smaller than the other and its encounter suit seemed to have slightly harsher lines and darker colours to the black and gold of the others. Its eye was also a different colour, red instead of green. Delenn almost found herself pulling away from the second Vorlon as its more menacing lines sent a chill down her spine.

"What, what is your name," Delenn asked feeling as nervous as she had been that day in the temple where she'd been chosen to be guide/protector for Dukhat during a ritual called the dreaming. A day that had changed her life forever as it had led to Dukhat first making her a acolyte of the Grey Council, then his personal aide before sponsoring her ascension to the Council itself when Satai Kadroni fell into the illness that had ultimately claimed her life.

"**Kosh,"** the first Vorlon answered but the second didn't answer, clearing indicating that the first Vorlon – Kosh – was the one she was to talk to.

She swallowed nervously before asking the Vorlon a second question all the while still on some level trying to wrap her head around the idea that she was speaking to a real live Vorlon. "Why are you here," she asked.

"**Creating the future,"** Kosh answered. Delenn scowled and was about to ask what it meant when its eye widened and its green glow brightened. A section of air in front of Delenn shimmered green and then a transparent hologram of Dukhat in all his glory appeared before her. Gazing upon the hologram Delenn was horrified to discover that she was already forgetting some of the smaller elements of Dukhat's appearance – like the small scar he'd had at the base of one ear for example, the legacy of an accident he'd had as a child and the slightly regal manner in which he had normally held himself.

"If you are seeing this message it is because I am dead," Dukhat began sounding calm and not at all phased that he was recording a message to be delivered after his death. "I have entrusted it to the Vorlons to deliver to the right person at the right time. They've have come to us in secret to prepare for not just the coming war but for a struggle that will determine the fate of the galaxy itself. They say we will need allies in particular a race so far unknown to us called Terrans." _No, no In Valen's Name it can't be,_ she thought her mind reeling in shock and horror at Dukhat's words. _Y__ou cannot be serious master. We're in the process of waging war against them to avenge your death at there hands and now you tell me they're supposed to be our allies against the great darkness?_

Heedless of her suddenly turbulent thoughts the recording of Dukhat continued to speak. "If we haven't already done so by now I urge you to find these Terrans and bring them into the battle on our side," Dukhat said his expression turning extremely serious and businesslike. "The allies of the Shadows are gathering at Z'ha'dum – there masters cannot be far behind them. They must be stopped the war with the Shadows must be stopped before it starts as the Vorlons tell me there is a far bigger battle to face against an enemy far, far worse than the Shadows."

_An enemy worse than the Shadows, what enemy could be worse than the dancers of the darkness,_ Delenn thought feeling a chill go down her spine. She'd had no idea that there could be an enemy greater than the ancient adversaries of her kind. The idea of fighting an even greater than the Shadows was deeply unsettling to say the very least.

"I do not know much about this enemy, they're only spoken of briefly in Valen's last prophecy a prophecy entrusted only to the Vorlons," Dukhat continued his voice sounding as concerned as Delenn was. "All I know is these three things, this enemy is a race of sentient machines almost as old as the Vorlons themselves, that every fifty thousand years the machines sweep across this galaxy wiping away all advanced organic life other than the First Ones and that they are due to return. The Vorlons tell me that the vanguard of the machine armada is already here, the others will not be far behind it. They must be stopped or all of civilisation will be exterminated without mercy.

"For the sake of our people and for every other species in the galaxy I urge you please work with the Anla'shok, work with the Vorlons. Finish the work I began. Finish it."

With that final plea the hologram of Dukhat shimmered green and vanished as the recording ended. Delenn stood in silence, horrified by the revelations that the holographic record had just revealed to her. The fact that the Terrans were supposed to be her peoples allies against the return of the Shadows was terrifying, it meant that in engaging them in war – determined to wipe the Terrans out to the last individual in retribution for Dukhat the Minbari were actually sowing both the seeds of there own future defeat at the hands of the Shadows and the extinction of all organic life at the hands of the machines.

"The Terrans," she asked looking at the Vorlons in horror.

"**Yes they are the key,"** Kosh answered cryptically. Not for the first time he was glad that he was clad in an encounter suite as it was not yet time for Delenn to see him as he really was. It meant he could hide his sudden fear for the future from the young Minbari as well, a fear that he and the others of his kind had had for the younger worlds ever since Valen came to them at the end of his life nine hundred years ago and told them quite plainly that the Reapers were going to return from there hiding place in dark space, that the Protheans last gambit to stop them was only going to buy the younger worlds a small amount of time.

The revelation had shaken the Vorlon commonality to the core and had caused a minor panic in the Emperors Council. They'd known that the Protheans reprogramming wouldn't delay the Reapers forever but they'd never thought that the Reapers would have a bearing on The Circle in its current incarnation. Since then the Vorlon Empire had been scouring the galaxy looking for the vanguard Reaper hoping to find it and destroy it ending the threat to the younger races in there care before it began. They had not been successful in the endeavour despite there best efforts the vanguard continued to evade them, which was why the Emperor himself had taken the decision to inform first Dukhat and now Delenn of the machines existence and the threat they posed to all of creation.

"He didn't know," Delenn breathed bringing Kosh's attention back to the present. "He couldn't have known that we are at war with them."

"And that is why this must be stopped," Lennon said appearing out of the darkness where he had been watching what was going on. "We have lost too much valuable time and resources already due to this distraction. This great war with the Shadows must be stopped before it starts or trillions of lives will be lost to the machines when they return."

"What do we know of these machines," Delenn asked shivering. The knowledge of the existence of a race of genocidal machines and that said race of genocidal machines had there sights set on eradicating all of the younger races – including the Minbari – had shaken her to her core.

"Nothing," Lennon replied grimly. "They are a total mystery to us. I only know what was contained about them in Valen's last prophecy that Dukhat showed me at the behest of the Vorlons. I have dedicated my life to preparing for the return of the great darkness only to find we could soon face an even greater darkness. We need time we need to prepare for both the Shadows and the machines. This war with the Terrans must be stopped we must make peace with them for if we don't then we will surely perish."

Delenn nodded already her mind trying to figure out how they were going to stop the war. It would not be easy, the warrior caste especially would not voluntarily agree to an ending of hostilities with the Terrans. There pride had been badly stung, there confidence in themselves and there abilities shaken to the core by the recent setbacks they'd suffered at the hands of the Terrans. The Terran capture of the _Drala Fi_ in combat two days ago had only exasperated the situation. It had made the warriors all the more determined to wipe the Terrans from existence and in the process erase the perceived loss of honour they'd suffered in the string of recent defeats, defeats caused as much by the warrior castes own arrogant overconfidence as military and technological prowess on the Terrans part, though the latter had played a part as well.

"I do not know how we will stop this Lennon," she admitted. "The warrior caste will not voluntarily agree to even a cease fire, let alone negotiations to end the war. There pride has been badly hurt by our recent defeats. They're more determined than ever to wipe the Terrans from existence to avenge there losses."

"We must try though Delenn," Lennon replied knowing how big of an uphill struggle they faced in stopping this war, especially against an embittered, angered warrior caste. They'd entered the war believing themselves to be invincible and immune to harm from the Terrans, it had been a profound shock to the warriors to discover otherwise.

"I know," Delenn answered. "Come we have much to discuss," she looked at the two Vorlons. "Will you be al right here?"

"**Yes,"** Kosh answered. Delenn nodded and led the way out of the sanctum recreation with Lennon close behind her leaving the two Vorlons alone with there thoughts.

* * *

**TSV Defiance**

**Former Dilgar Imperium, Caliban Sector**

**That Same Time**

The sharp, insistent bleeping of the intercom penetrated deep into the recesses of Michael Jankowski's sleeping brain, bringing him out of the deep, uneasy sleep he had descended into. Groaning he opened his eyes and glared at the offending device as it felt like he had only gone to sleep an hour ago before sighing and getting up. Dressed in nothing more than a pair of boxer shorts he crossed the cramped room that were his quarters on board the Hades-class destroyer _Defiance_ to the desk and pressed a flashing holographic button.

"Yes," he asked pushing aside his lingering exhaustion and putting his captain's face on. Though he wasn't really a captain anymore having been busted down to lieutenant commander after his actions on the Minbari border, actions that he guiltily acknowledged had sparked a war. He knew he was lucky that he hadn't been drummed out of the service instead of getting a demotion and transfer to command a destroyer, something he hadn't commanded in over a decade. It was a sharp shock to someone who'd gotten used to the greater space and larger crew of a cruiser.

"Sorry to disturb you sir but we're entering the remains of the Dilgar home system," a voice responded from the bridge.

"Understood drop to sublight, advise the other ships to do the same. I'll be right there."

"Aye sir," the officer – whose voice he belatedly recognised as being Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Lochley his new first officer and unofficial minder – responded before signing off.

Sighing Jankowski moved away from the desk and over to wardrobe and got out a clean uniform. As he started dressing he mused on the mission that he had been assigned. It seemed to be fairly straight forward, the _Defiance_ and a support group of six frigates had been assigned to escort a Kowloon-class ship that had been modified into a prospecting ship. They were to take it to the shattered remains of the Dilgar home system to search the debris that had once been Omelos and the other worlds for element zero. It was almost certain to be present in large quantities given it was created by the same process that had wiped out the system – the star going nova.

Truth be told Jankowski himself wasn't sure what he felt about coming back here. The last time he had been in the Dilgar home system he'd been commanding another destroyer during the last battle of the war, the Fall of Omelos. The remains of this system were a graveyard, the last resting place of an entire species, coming here to harvest eezo so soon after the stellar cataclysm that had wiped the Dilgar from existence felt to him a lot like grave robbing. While he had hated the Dilgar during the war looting there graves – even if it would help his people against the Minbari – just felt wrong.

Pushing aside his thoughts he focused on finishing dressing and getting to the bridge. While he didn't like this personally he had his orders and he would do his duty and survey the system.

After all it wasn't as though he had any other choice.

* * *

**Bridge**

**TSV Defiance**

**A Few Minutes Later**

"Status report," Jankowski ordered as he stepped onto the compact, functional bridge of the destroyer and moved to sit in the command chair.

"All ships have secured from FTL," Lochley reported calmly from the first officer's station. "We're holding position just outside the orbit of what used to be the largest of the systems gas giants. Preliminary scans have revealed that we might have a problem."

"What kind of problem," Jankowski wondering what Murphy had planned for him this time.

"Long range scans are picking up a series of energy signatures closer to the debris field that used to be Omelos," Lochley answered, "we're also picking up faint plasma particle trails consistent with fusion engines. There maybe communications signals as well that we cannot detect due to the radiation white noise coming from the dead star."

"Well looks like we have some scavengers for company," Jankowski commented with a faint smile not surprised that there was scavenge activity in the system. The Dilgar had after all been quite technologically advanced, indeed at the time of there defeat there technology had been approaching Centauri level. Though the system was dead there was always the chance that some Dilgar technology had survived the cataclysm, technology that would be very valuable on the interstellar black market both on this side of the Charon Relay and in Citadel Space, it was also possible that the scavengers were here for the same reason as them – to mine eezo.

"Launch some probes towards the inner system," he instructed after a moments thought. "Let's see who our unexpected company is. All ships to hold position until we have more information."

"Aye sir," Lochley acknowledged and entered the command into her console. A moment later a soft shiver ran through the deck as two probes shot out of two of the three hundred metre long destroyer's forward torpedo tubes and streaked towards the inner system.

"Probes on course," tactical reported as the officer in question took over monitoring the probe telemetry as it came in "ETA to the inner system four minutes." Abruptly the console began chiming a warning as it detected massive distortions forming in space time ahead of them. "Jump points forming directly ahead."

"What," Jankowski exclaimed as a tactical hologram appeared in front of him showing the three glowing blue, two dimensional discs of the incoming jump points a few thousand kilometres ahead of his task force. Ships immediately emerged from the glowing rents in space-time and it was immediately obvious who they belonged to. The sleek, bladed lines and tiger-stripe like war paint on them made that perfectly obvious.

They were Narn.

"Reading three Narn warships," tactical confirmed a moment later, "reading one G'Quan-class heavy cruiser and two Ta'noth-class light cruisers. There weapons systems are active but gun ports are closed. Reading… okay this is strange."

"What is it," Jankowski asked as the tactical officer accessed the ships primary sensors and ran a more in depth scan of the Narn ships. "Report lieutenant," he demanded after a moment.

"Sir I'm not sure I believe this but we're picking up dark energy signatures consistent with active eezo cores and mass effect field distortions on all three Narn ships consistent with an artificial gravity system. The emissions are considerably lower than what I would have thought from the size of the cores we're picking up, they must be using below standard purity eezo to operate them."

Jankowski's eyes widened as gasps of surprise rippled around the bridge. It was understandable; aside from a few months before the end of the Dilgar War none of the other Orion Arm races had shown any evidence that they possessed mass effect technology in any form. Now they were being confronted by Narn ships that clearly possessed it albeit at the very basic level of providing a ship with artificial gravity and presumably the ancillary abilities that came with it like inertial dampening.

"How," Lochley exclaimed. "How did the Narn get mass effect technology? As far as we know there's no Prothean outpost hidden in there home system in the way there was on Mars. If there had been they would have certainly showed the technology long ago."

"I have a very good suspicion where they got it from," Jankowski replied with a frown.

"Sir," Lochley asked.

"During the last months of the Dilgar War a number of Dilgar warships were encountered that were using mass effect technology," Jankowski explained. "The Dilgar committed them to there last major battle to stop us before we reached this system. The technology was crude, very basic generation one stuff, the kind of stuff we haven't used in nearly a century but it was mass effect technology. It didn't make much difference to the battle as we soon destroyed them they couldn't match our manoeuvrability and didn't have any kinetic barriers worth the name – certainly nothing capable of stopping plasma bolts for more than a few seconds. We learned after the war that the Dilgar had reverse engineered it from a few of our supply ships they captured earlier in the war.

"As for how the Narn got access to mass effect technology. It's possible that the Dilgar didn't commit all the new warships against us and one was captured by the Narn at the end of the war. It would likely have taken them this long to integrate the technology into their own."

"I've never heard the Dilgar did that," Lochley replied.

"It was classified after we first discovered it. Alliance Command didn't want any of the other local races finding out and capturing one of the new Dilgar ships for themselves. You know many of the local races – especially in the League – have wanted mass effect technology for years now," Jankowski explained just as the communications station chimed.

"Incoming message from the lead Narn ship," the officer on duty reported.

"Put it through," Jankowski ordered sitting up straight in the command chair a moment before the holographic display before him changed bringing in an image of his Narn opposite number. The vaguely reptilian looking alien sat in a throne-like chair with belts securing him; clearly they were still pretending to be in zero gravity. The bridge was lit with the normal red light identical in spectra to the light from the star Narn orbited and was as empty as Narn bridges normally were with only another pair of Narn being present.

"Terran vessels I am War Leader Du'Sten of the star cruiser _Na'tok_," the Narn said, "your presence in this system is a violation of Narn territorial sovereignty. In the interests of peace I invite you to withdraw."

Jankowski raised an eyebrow. "War Leader Du'Sten I'm Lieutenant Commander Jankowski of the _Defiance_. I was unaware that the Narn have claimed this system, it is a very long way from your home territory."

"It is a recent development," Du'Sten replied looking somewhat uncomfortable. "The Narn Regime has claimed this system and as s…"

"Your harvesting the element zero aren't you for use on your ships," Jankowski interrupted with a smile.

"How did you…" Du'Sten stammered.

"We've scanned your ships Du'Sten we know you have active element zero cores on your vessels, along with mass effect field generators. Though the dark energy emissions are considerably lower than they should be for cores as big as the ones your ships have."

"Then maybe I should destroy you now, to preserve our secret."

"I would advise against that you have three warships I have seven if it came to a fight you would loose," Jankowski advised, "our two species have never been enemies, surely it would be better to stay on friendly terms."

"You have been honourable towards us in the past even when we have not specifically deserved it," Du'Sten replied then looked thoughtful. "While you are correct when you say I cannot force you to leave l I must continue to ask you to do so to preserve the peace between our species at least for now. I will speak to the Kha'ri shortly maybe our respective governments can come to some mutually satisfactory arrangement."

_In other words the Kha'ri are probably going to use this to pry some mass effect technology secrets away from us including how to properly refine eezo into its pure crystalline state,_ Jankowski thought, _and we'll end up giving it to them as we need access to the eezo reserves in this system if we're to fight the Minbari on a large scale._

"Very well," he said at last. "We'll withdraw for now."

"Thank you,"Du'Sten replied before breaking the communications link from his end.

"Sir are we really going to withdraw," Lochley asked.

"For now yes at least till the politicians can sort something out with the Narns. But we're not going to go far. Navigation plot a course to take us out to the systems Oort cloud the Narns won't detect us out there and there is just a chance we'll find some eezo or other useful materials there. Pass the course to the other ships when complete."

"Aye sir."

"Communications as soon as we reach the Oort cloud establish a secure stellar comm. link with Alliance Command at Arcturus."

"Aye sir."

* * *

**Narn Cruiser Na'tok**

Sitting in his command chair War Leader Du'Sten kept his eyes focused on one of the monitors as the eight Terran ships turned in space with incredible grace, aligning themselves onto a vector that would take them out of the system. Even the blocky cargo ship the warships were escorting moved with an effortless grace that would have made any Narn freighter pilot green with envy.

The arrival of the Terran ships had been a shocking surprise, one that the Narn Regime had never anticipated when they'd set up a top secret experimental refining facility here several years ago. The finding of a derelict Dilgar ship nine years ago – one modified to use basic mass effect technologies, technologies the Narn had long wanted for themselves as it would go along way towards redressing the technology imbalance between them and the vile Centauri – had been an unexpected windfall. A windfall that had led to the construction of the _Na'tok_ – the first Narn ship to ever have artificial gravity – once they figured out away of refining element zero out its volatile ore state.

Unfortunately there current methods of refining element zero – or eezo as the Terrans sometimes called it – were as Lieutenant Commander Jankowski had correctly said, weren't quite up to doing more than refining the material enough to generate an artificial gravity field. They certainly couldn't generate anything like the energy shielding Terran vessels – energy shielding that was really proving how formidable it was on larger capital ships being able to attenuate even Minbari weapons fire to the point where a direct hit caused only moderate damage at best instead of instantly killing the ship. That kind of shield technology would have been hugely advantageous against the Centauri. Unfortunately every attempt they'd made to make a mass effect field strong enough to do that had resulted in disaster that took the form of a literal hurricane of dark energy that had killed or seriously wounded dozens of Narns best physicists and engineers.

_Maybe that will change now,_ he thought, _the Terrans obviously want the element zero found in this system, obviously for there war with the Minbari. In exchange for mining rights the Kha'ri might be able to get them to if not give us technology at least teach us how to make our own versions of it._

A change on the screen caught his attention and he noticed that the Terran ships had ceased manoeuvring and for a moment seemed to just hang there in space. Then the sensors picked up a sudden massive spike in dark energy production aboard all eight vessels a moment before a blue glow enveloped the ships. Then with a burst of incredible acceleration the ships shot forward and vanished with the faintest ripple in space, leaving only a rapidly dissipating trail of light leading into infinity as the only sign they'd ever been present at all. Enviously Du'Sten shook his head, that ability to travel at faster than light speeds in normal space – bypassing all the restrictions and dangers of hyperspace – was amazing and another technology the Kha'ri would have to weasel out of the Terrans in mining rights negotiations.

"Communications establish a priority one communications link with the homeworld. I must speak with the Kha'ri immediately," he ordered after a moment's more silence, "tell them that an opportunity has fallen into our laps that we would be foolish not to take advantage of."

"Yes sir."

* * *

**Fourth Fleet HQ Station **

**Beta Durani**

**That Same Time**

Shai Alyt Traka sat in quiet contemplation on the edge of the flat but surprisingly comfortable alien bed and gazed around at the bluish-grey metal walls of his cell. He was still finding it somewhat hard to believe that he was in this position, it was certainly one he had never anticipated being placed in, one no modern Minbari warrior ever thought they'd be placed in. Still he accepted it and the few crewmembers from the _Drala Fi_ who'd been on the flyer from the Terran war cruiser _Lexington_, where they'd initially been held, accepted it as well. They're ship had after all been taken in a fair fight and though they'd been denied an honourable death in combat they'd been treated well – incredibly well considering the Terrans were supposed to be barbarians.

So far Traka realised that his captivity had been something of an eye opening experience, an experience that start when Staff Lieutenant Shepard had administered first aide to the injuries he'd sustained during the storming of the _Drala Fi_. After being transferred to the _Lexington_ his injuries had been more thoroughly dealt with – mostly the broken bones as whatever gel Shepard had spread over his cuts had completely healed them. For a few hours after that he'd been in a cell similar to the one he was in now, just a little smaller. Then they'd been loaded onto a flyer and transferred to this enormous space station orbiting a heavily volcanic, completely uninhabitable world.

A fleet of warships had visibly been in attendance, all of them Terran since they were all variants on the elongated delta shape that the Terrans seemed to favour for warship design. Nearly half of those he'd seen through the windows on the Terran equivalent of a flyer had been smaller warships but some had been larger vessels around the size of a Tinashi-class war frigate – presumably cruisers like the _Lexington_ – with one he'd seen being almost twice the size. It was obvious that the fleet he'd seen was only a small faction of the bigger fleet gathering here, it had also been clear that those warships had been undergoing resupply operations. To Traka it could mean only one thing, the Terrans were planning to go on the offensive, presumably intending to strike at the outer Minbari worlds and protectors to draw the Minbari fleet into a defensive battle. At least that's what he assumed they were planning to do – its what he would have done if he'd been in there position.

_Especially as by now they've probably accessed and decrypted our star maps which will give them all the information they need to at very least push us onto the defensive,_ he thought with a mental sigh knowing it was inevitable. While the star maps would of course be encrypted he'd learned not to underestimate there enemies – enemies who he privately had to admit were a lot more noble than the Minbari had thought – and knew it probably wouldn't take the Terrans long to break through the security programming. Programming that wasn't likely to be as good as it could have been as it had been nearly a thousand years since a Minbari warship had last been taken by enemy forces. Having had time to think on the battle and the battles so far in the war Traka had to admit – at least to himself – that the Minbari had fallen into a trap, a very dangerous trap, one that Valen himself had warned repeatedly against. They'd allowed themselves to become complacent in the belief that there warships were invincible and they're battle tactics were flawless and that complacency was about to come back and give them a massive boot up the ass.

The sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention bringing him out of his bleak thoughts. Listening carefully Traka made out at least three different footfalls on the metal deck, all were heavy footfalls to indicating someone wearing combat boots. The footsteps stopped outside the cell and he soon heard faint bleeping sounds as someone operated the door controls. Guessing he was about to be taken for a overdue interrogation Traka stood up and set his shoulders – determined to face his captors one warrior to another, he had no problem thinking of the Terrans as warriors they'd already proven that to him during the battle that had seen his ship disabled and captured.

The door to the cell opened and three Terran warriors dressed in full body armour – but minus helmets this time – came in. Traka immediately recognised one of the warriors as Staff Lieutenant Shepard though the other two were complete strangers.

"Hello again Shai Alyt Traka," Shepard said in greeting as before seeming to speak warrior caste Minbari. Traka knew he really wasn't though, he just heard Minbari words due to a translator that the Terran medics on the _Lexington_ had injected beneath the skin near his ears when they'd healed his broken arm. All his fellow captured Minbari had been given the same translator implant, probably to make interrogating them that much easier.

"Hello Staff Lieutenant Shepard," Traka replied before setting his features into one of defiance, "are you here to take me for interrogation? I assure you, you will get nothing from me."

"Not right now Shai Alyt," Shepard answered with a slight smile, "I'm a marine not an ANI spook – interrogating you is not in my job description. As to why I'm here there is someone who wants to talk to you, I have been ordered to take you to her. Now are you going to come quietly or do I have to throw a biotic field around you?" As he finished speaking he began to glow slightly with the same blue light he'd glowed on the _Drala Fi_ when Traka had confronted him during the boarding action.

"I will come quietly," Traka replied knowing resistance was pointless as the Terran would easily overpower him using his strange abilities – abilities that were completely unlike anything the Minbari had ever encountered before. _What was that he called the field a biotic field?_ He thought, _what in Valen's name is a biotic field?_

"Good," Shepard answered and the blue glow seemed to separate from his body and dissipate in a luminous fog. "Turn around please."

Traka did as instructed and held himself steady as one of the Terrans moved up behind him and yanked his arms around to the small of his back where they were again bound by something cool and metallic. Then a pair of strong alien hands grabbed his shoulders and turned him back around with surprising gentleness.

"Bring him," Shepard instructed to the two other warriors before turning and walking out of the cell, Traka didn't wait for prompting and followed.

"If you are not taking me for interrogation then where are we going," he demanded to know.

"A delegation from the Citadel Council has just arrived they were on the way to the border to contact your people when they heard of your presence here. They decided to divert here to see you first," Shepard answered him, glancing back over an armoured shoulder. "The Asari matriarch leading the delegation a Lady Benezia has requested to see you, now come we don't want to keep her waiting."

Sensing that he wouldn't get anymore information out of Shepard Traka went quiet and mused over what he had just been told. From reading Anla'shok reports he was aware that the Citadel Council was a body that oversaw a truly vast region of space beyond the boundaries of known space. The question was though was why had they sent a delegation to contact his people, a delegation that had stopped off here to specifically talk to him and possibly the rest of the _Drala Fi's _surviving senior officers.

_Maybe the rumours the Anla'shok have reported are true,_ he thought as they left the stations detention area and boarded a lift, _maybe the Terrans are indeed somehow connected to the Citadel Council. If that's the case then are they coming here to threaten us or declare war on us? Or is there some other reason for them coming here. Either way why would this Lady Benezia wish to speak with me?_

After a moment he mentally shrugged knowing time would tell whatever Benezia's reasons for asking to see him were it was bound to be better than just sitting in his cell waiting to be interrogated.

Much better.


	9. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_

**Observation Lounge A12**

**Forth Fleet HQ Station**

**Beta Durani**

Matriarch Benezia T'Soni stood as still as a statue as she stood before the view port that made up practically the entire outer wall of the observation lounge that Admiral Hague had graciously allowed her entourage the use of for her meeting with Shai Alyt Traka. Her pale blue eyes holding the wisdom and experience she'd accumulated in her nine centuries of life gazed out at the infinity of space beyond the transparent wall of high density permaglass. Normally gazing out at space calmed her, helped her to centre herself to perform the many duties of an Asari matriarch, but now it filled her with a profound sense of apprehension.

Or rather what filled her with apprehension was the war fleet she could see assembling beyond the armoured transparent wall. Terran warships of all sizes and descriptions from frigates to dreadnoughts and carriers were assembling around the station more than taking the place of the deployed Forth Fleet. Most of the fleet was staying close together taking on essential supplies as they assembled, preparing to launch a direct assault on the Minbari Federation and hopefully put the arrogant aliens on the defensive.

At least that's what she believed they were planning to do should her negotiations with the Minbari fail to bare any fruit. It was obvious to every member of the Citadel delegation that the Terrans were planning something big as you didn't assemble this many heavy capital ships to serve as a defensive force. No this fleet was meant for one thing and one thing only.

Attack!

Yet as she watched the fleet Benezia noticed an oddity developing among them. While most of the fleet was staying close together in a standard orbital formation while they took on supplies a smaller group of them had split off from the others. Even from here she could see that the smaller group was centred on one of the twelve dreadnoughts that had been present in the system when the _Resplendent Justice_and her escorting frigates dropped out of translight flight. Two attack carriers had joined it along with five heavy cruisers, twelve destroyers and eighteen frigates. It was a task force with lot of firepower, enough to thoroughly intimidate anyone the ships encountered, while also being highly mobile and capable of hitting a target with overpowering force faster than they could react. What the purpose for assembling it was she had no idea and made a mental note to enquire with Admiral Hague after her meeting was concluded.

A new reflection in the window caught her attention as one of her most devout followers and best commandoes came up behind her. "Yes Shiala?" she asked not looking away from the view port.

"Forgive me for disturbing you mistress, but Lieutenant Shepard is here with the Minbari prisoner," Shiala replied in a respectful tone of voice.

"I see," Benezia replied turning away from the window and moving to take a seat. "Send the Shai Alyt in, Shiala. It is past time that I spoke with him and maybe we will learn why the Minbari have started this war."

"Yes mistress."

As Shiala left to bring the captured Minbari commander in Benezia settled down in one of the seats and waited. After a few moments the door opened again and Shiala returned with the Minbari – his hands tied behind his back so as not to present a threat. The tall, muscular form of Lieutenant Shepard followed and took up station near the door keeping his eyes focused on the Minbari, no doubt ready to intervene should Traka threaten her. Benezia appreciated the thought though it was hardly necessary as while the Minbari warrior was no doubt highly trained in all forms of combat he was surrounded by biotics. Trying anything in their presence would be stupid bordering on suicidal.

"Shai Alyt Traka," she said in greeting. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Matriarch Benezia, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance though I do wish the circumstances of our meeting were better. I am sure you are wondering why I have asked to see you."

"The thought has occurred to me," Traka replied, "I believe you probably wish to interrogate me."

"I can see why you would think that but I have no intention of doing so," Benezia answered with a soft smile. "Please take a seat."

Giving the strange blue skinned alien female before him a wary glance Traka sat down and got as comfortable as he could with his hands tied behind his back. While he waited for Benezia to speak again he gave her an accessing look and saw something astonishing. Though Benezia didn't appear to be that old there was something about her, something in her manner and in her eyes that said that the being before him was both powerful and old, very old with eyes that shone with the wisdom of not just years or decades, but centuries and centuries of experience.

"My purpose here is to open negotiations between the Minbari Federation, your people, and the Terran Systems Alliance which as you can see is assembling an impressive fleet outside this very station to counterattack. Can there not be a peace between your two people, before this conflict between you escalates any further?" Benezia said after a few moments of silence, speaking softly but firmly. "There are already calls on the Citadel for the Council to authorise military intervention in this unfortunate conflict. The longer this war continues the louder those calls are going to become."

Traka blinked in surprise at her statement. Due to his position as a Shai Alyt and the commander of one of Minbar's proudest warships he had been permitted to read some of the information the Anla'shok had been able to gather on the Citadel races, particularly the three that made up the Citadel Council. Like the Yolu all had been spacefaring races for far longer than the Minbari and their technology likely reflected that fact, the Yolu's certainly did and the Minbari had learned long ago to be careful in dealing with them, as while they thankfully weren't expansionistic or imperialistic the Yolu easily possessed the power to eviscerate even the strongest Minbari war cruiser. They were powerful enough that even during the height of the Dilgar Invasion of the League the Dilgar had stayed out of their space; the warmasters knowing that any invasion force would have been utterly annihilated in very short order.

The possible power of the Citadel was a concern to Minbar, but would they really be willing to wage war on the Minbari for the Terrans? A look at Benezia confirmed that she meant what she was saying, what she was warning could and would eventually happen. Unfortunately Traka knew he could not offer a way out of what would be a massive clash between two very old and very powerful civilisations.

"This war has gone too far," he replied bleakly. "Too much blood has been shed by the Warrior Caste to attempt to avenge the death of..." he cut himself off before he blurted out the reason why they went to war, information that these creatures had no right to have.

"Who was it that you were to avenge?" Benezia asked firmly recalling the briefing she'd been given on Arcturus by Matriarch Talos. A briefing that had included the suspicion that Ambassador Sheridan had had that something or someone of great importance had been killed aboard the Minbari warships the _Prometheus_attacked. If that was indeed the case it could explain the whole reason for the war beginning – the Minbari had been hurt and in their grief and anger were lashing out at those who had hurt them.

"They do not have the right to that knowledge, to even have his name spoken by them is an insult to his name," he said in righteous anger, his muscles tensing ever so slightly, but he restrained himself when not only Shepard but the other Asari stationed around the room began glowing with a familiar blue aura, clearly warning him against trying anything.

After a moment Benezia made a small hand gesture silently telling both Shepard and her followers to stand down. "I understand that your people are angry over what happened between your warships and the _Prometheus_task group," she said. "What happened was a tragedy, but it was an accident brought on by misunderstandings on both sides. No matter what or who your people lost does it really justify planning the destruction of an entire species? I have heard much about the Minbari from other Orion Arm races, I know you consider yourselves to be a fair and just people, how does such a people condone such an extreme judgement?"

"They murdered our leader, for that crime against the heart and soul of Minbar the Terran race will die and their world's burn," Traka snarled back incensed that this alien seemed to be passing judgement on the righteous actions of the Minbari. Abruptly he went pale as he realised what it was he had just said, though he hadn't mentioned Dukhat by name he might as well have.

"Then you have my sympathies on your loss, but your actions are not justified. Going to war over the death of one individual, planning genocide to avenge that death is not justified. Do you believe that wiping out an entire species to avenge your leader will make your grief and pain go away? I can tell you now it will not."

"What I believe is immaterial. Our surviving leaders have decreed that the Terrans be destroyed for the crime they committed against the very soul of our people. That decree will be carried out with all the power the warrior caste can muster."

Benezia sighed softly as she gazed at him and in her eyes Traka could see disappointment not just at him, but at the Grey Council and the decision to go to war over Dukhat's murder. For some reason it bothered him, he knew it shouldn't indeed he'd never considered the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of non-Minbari to be anything of consequence before. Yet for some reason the Asari matriarch's disapproval did bother him.

"I see," Benezia said at last breaking the oppressive silence that had descended on the room. "Let me ask you this Shai Alyt. As you are probably aware your people destroyed three of my people's merchant liners without warning or provocation when you attacked New Hibernia. The commander of one of them, the _Salinos_, was like me, a matriarch and who merely attempted to talk to your people only for your people to murder her and her crew in cold blood.

"Now since you do not know that much about my kind I will tell you that matriarchs are Asari who have entered the final phase of our long lives, we serve as the leaders of our people using the experience and wisdom of centuries of life to guide our race into the future. Using your logic about the death of a single leader being sufficient grounds for genocide do you believe we would be within our rights to hunt your people to extinction? To bombard your worlds with plasma and antimatter until they are nothing but glass?"

"You, you wouldn't" Traka replied eyes going wide in horror at the very thought of someone doing that to the Minbari. The mental image in conjured of Minbari worlds – even Minbar itself – in flames were just too horrible to even consider.

Benezia smiled slightly and Traka suddenly got the feeling that he was a tasty morsel about to be eaten by a hungry predator. "Then what makes it right for the Minbari to do the same to the Terrans," she asked. "Do your people believe that you are in some way special just because you have been spacefaring for a millennium? Do you believe that that gives you the right to decide if a species lives or dies? My species has been spacefaring for three and a half millennia, using your logic then don't we get that privilege as well?

"It cannot be one rule for the Minbari and one rule for every other species in existence," she continued. "Your species is arrogant and massively conceited to believe otherwise, you are not special and it is time you realised that fact. The galaxy is watching your people Shai Alyt and what you do will be judged and influence how you are treated for the next thousand years. I hope your leaders are wise enough and have the courage to admit their mistakes when I eventually meet with them. For if they do not, if they persist on this genocidal course then the consequences for all of us will be very, very dire indeed. Consider my words Shai Alyt. Lieutenant Shepard?"

"Yes matriarch?" Shepard asked stepping away from the door.

"You may escort Shai Alyt Traka back to his cell now."

"As you wish," Shepard acknowledged approaching where they were sitting. "On your feet," he instructed Traka as he arrived.

Awkwardly Traka did as he was told and offered no resistance as the Terran warrior began to lead him out of the lounge as what Benezia had said reverberated through him. Were his people being arrogant and massively conceited to assume that they had the right to destroy an entire species in retribution for Dukhat's death? Didn't the Asari have the right to do the same to them considering Nalann had killed one of their leaders during his abortive attack on New Hibernia?

_In Valen's name what have we done, are we going to survive what we have started_, he thought feeling a chill go through him, _can we really believe we have the right to destroy a whole species for the actions of a few and the death of one man? What does it say about us to even think about it?_

* * *

**TSV Yorktown**

**Beta Durani, That Same Time**

Flight Lieutenant Jeffery Sinclair had a faint frown of puzzlement on his features as along with the rest of his squadron mates he arrived in the main pilots briefing room of Endurance-class attack carrier. He didn't understand why they were being summoned to a mission briefing when the _Yorktown_ was still at Beta Durani. He couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with why the _Yorktown_ had moved away from the bulk of the assembling battle fleet and linked up with another attack carrier the _Kaga _and the dreadnought _Vesuvius_.

Recalling the combat space patrol he'd been part of earlier in the day he knew that the three kilometre-plus long ships had along with a full squadron of cruisers as well as two or three squadrons of frigates and destroyers formed up into their own separate task force. Jeff was aware that the other pilots had noticed it as well, there had been quite a bit of speculation about it in the pilots ready room about what was going on. _Maybe were about to find out,_ he thought as he moved to a seat near the front and sat down as did the rest of his squadron. Even as they settled down more pilots from the other squadrons based on the _Yorktown_ arrived and moved to sit down, clearly this briefing was for all the fighter and bomber pilots stationed onboard. Which only confirmed – to him at least – that whatever was going on was big, very big.

"Hey lieutenant you have any idea what this is about," Grant Mitchell one of his wingmen asked as they all took seats.

"Not a clue Mitchell, but whatever it is its big," Sinclair replied as the room began filling up with pilots. "Why else would they assemble all the fighter and bomber pilots here in the main briefing room?"

"Think it has something to do with the Minbari and why we've linked up with another carrier and a dreadnought?"

"I'd say that's a pretty good bet, especially when you factor in the size of our escort fleet."

Mitchell nodded in agreement. "Yeah we've got a heck of a lot of firepower gathered in this force," he agreed knowing a force this size was a major projection of humanities military power – even if it was only a small number of ships compared to the thousands there were in the Alliance fleet as a whole. It was certainly big enough that most species – even the Krogan – would think at least twice before directly challenging them in battle.

"Think we're going to attack them," he asked after a few moments of thinking.

"Almost certainly," Sinclair replied knowing that it was very likely. The Alliance Navy had never been a force to stay on the defensive in war – unless they were luring an enemy into a trap as they'd done to the Turians at Shanxi – they preferred to carry the fight straight to the enemy. They might sit on the defensive awhile longer – at least while the Citadel tried diplomacy with the Minbari – but sooner or later they would attack the Minbari directly.

"In fact," he amended after a few moments more of thinking, "I believe us attacking the Minbari directly is inevitable. Unless the Council can somehow pull a miracle out of their hats and get the Minbari to sit down and actually talk to us with something other than energy beams."

"Maybe that's why that Asari dreadnought and those Council race frigates have shown up?" a pilot from one of the other squadrons on board suggested. "Maybe whichever matriarch is onboard has come to question some of the Minbari prisoners being held on the station before proceeding to the border."

"That wouldn't surprise me," Sinclair agreed knowing the nature of the Asari. They always tried to be the diplomats of the galaxy, to bring peace and harmony between the various races and resolving differences through diplomacy rather than force. That wasn't to say however that they were pacifists as the Asari could and would fight if presented with no other alternative. In those cases then whoever was the target of their wrath could really look out as the Asari in war were cold, efficient and utterly lethal. No other race could match the Asari's skill when it came to war, which was understandable given the Asari could train a huntress or commando not for months or years but for centuries.

"Me neither though I do hear that the Asari are somewhat pissed at the Minbari right now," Mitchell commented recalling some of the stuff he'd read on extranet news sites. "They did after all kill a matriarch when they destroyed those merchant liners over New Hibernia. That's probably why they've decided to come by dreadnought this time. The Minbari would have to be idiots to fire on that ship."

_Not that they would stand much chance of hurting that dreadnought,_ Sinclair thought knowing that the kinetic barriers on an Asari Ascension-class dreadnought were considerably more powerful than the shields protecting a Rapier-class dreadnought – and the Minbari weapons got badly attenuated by those so the damage from each individual shot was negligible and well within the ability of the ships metalloceramic armour to withstand. In all probability a neutron beam fired at an Asari dreadnought would just refract off the shields doing no damage – beyond annoying the crew that was and earning the Minbari a face full of laser bolts in retaliation. It seemed to him that the Asari were trying to send a message to the Minbari – a message that while they were coming in peace they were fully capable of defending themselves if attacked.

Before he had chance to voice his thoughts however one of the doors that was off to the side of the front dais opened. "Attention on deck," he shouted leaping to his feet and standing at attention as the _Yorktown's _commanding officer Captain Tristan de Marco entered the room. All around the room the other pilots hurriedly did the same.

"At ease, please be seated," de Marco instructed as he moved to the podium at the front, as he reached it he heard a rustling of cloth as the assembled pilots retook their seats. While the fighter and bomber crews seated themselves he took a deep breath and let it out slowly before activating the podiums haptic interface – he would need it in a few more moments.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls I'm sure that by now you are aware that we have linked up with the dreadnought _Vesuvius_ and the attack carrier _Kaga_ and been assigned a large escort fleet. I am sure that there are a great many rumours running through your ranks as to why this is and if it is connected to this unfortunate war with the Minbari," he said calmly hidden audio pickups amplifying his voice a little so all the pilots could hear him "I can tell you all now that this is indeed the case.

"This ship and the others are now task group delta one," he continued. "Our mission is simple we are to deliver a message to the Minbari. A message that they cannot attack our people cannot send hostile warships into our territory without incurring the most severe of consequences. Since the Minbari are completely unwilling to talk with us like civilised beings Alliance Command has chosen to deliver our message in the only way the Minbari seem to understand. In a few hours time we will be leaving Beta Durani, we will make our way to the border and cross into the Minbari Federation. And this is our target."

Calmly he pressed one of the controls on the haptic interface and immediately the lights in the room dimmed. A moment later a three dimensional holographic projection of a section of the Orion Arm appeared behind him and floating a metre above his head, the assembled pilots immediately recognised the feature that dominated the holograph. It was a top down view of the Eye of Orion a massive nebula complex that stretched across several sectors in all directions, straddling both sides of the Terran-Minbari border and then some. The Eye as it was more commonly shortened to was a stellar nursery – deep within its thick clouds of gas and dust a new star cluster was in the process of being born. Which made The Eye a well known navigational hazard for the races of the Orion Arm as the massive gravitic and radioactive flux of the young stars forming inside churned up hyperspace like their was no tomorrow – monster hyperspace storms were common in the area making interstellar travel difficult and even impossible for species who exclusively used hyperspace for FTL travel.

A target rectangle appeared over one section of The Eye a section located a dozen light years inside Minbari territory and four light years inside the nebula. The section highlighted by the rectangle zoomed in revealing a star system surrounded by the shifting multicoloured gas and dust clouds of the nebula. Three small rocky planets orbited a hot blue-white star their surfaces barren and lifeless, any atmospheres long since blown away by the extreme solar wind of the highly energetic star. A second target rectangle appeared over the second planet and once again the holograph zoomed in till they were above the northern hemisphere of the lifeless, radiation blasted world. Gasps of shock and awe ran through the assembled pilots at what they saw in orbit of the planet.

Minbari warships, not dozens or even hundreds of them but thousands of them and of all sizes and descriptions including over a thousand of the Minbari's deadly dreadnoughts. Each warship was moored in a slipway and appeared to be completely powered down as they were just sitting there completely inert. The slipways were arranged in a series on concentric rings leading and in the centre of them floated a space station, one that was shaped vaguely like a spinning top and which glittered in the bright light of the star. A three-pylon jump gate floated some distance from the shipyard presumably so the Minbari could bring supplies to the facility. A thin shell of defence platforms surrounded the shipyard and three of the barracuda-like Minbari battlecruisers could be seen sedately patrolling around it.

"This ladies and gentlemen is one of three large ship storage facilities spread out throughout the Minbari Federation," de Marco said breaking the silence that had descended on the room. "It holds over three and a half thousand Minbari capital ships and nearly twelve thousand fighters in mothballs. Between the three of them these ship storage facilities house enough Minbari warships to completely crush our defences and represent an ace in the hole for the Minbari as no matter how many active warships we destroy they can take two replacements out of storage.

"As can be seen the shipyards defences are relatively light consisting of a thin shell of defence satellites and three active warships with their attendant fighter squadrons, the shipyards main defence is the nebula itself. Analysis of the technology found on captured Minbari warships has revealed that the Minbari have superior propulsion and sensor technology to any other local race with the possible exceptions of the Yolu and the Vorlons. These advanced systems allow them to negotiate all but the worst of the hyperspace storms endemic in the region of The Eye without difficulty. The Minbari apparently believe that this advantage makes the shipyard impregnable to attack and against most of the local races that would indeed be true. However it is no obstacle to our mass effect based FTL drives."

Grins and small chuckles erupted from the assembled pilots. All of them knew that the hyperspace storms spawned by the stellar nursery that was The Eye were in no way an obstacle to them. With the mass effect based FTL technology they had they would have little difficulty navigating the nebula and hitting the system – hard and in all probability the nebula itself would conceal their presence from the Minbari until the last possible moment. De Marco waited for the hubbub from the pilots to die down before continuing with his briefing.

"Our plan is to strike this shipyard with all the force this task group can muster," he said. "We will proceed into the nebula and make our way to this system the eggheads assure me that we have a high chance of achieving complete surprise as while Minbari sensors are capable of detecting us even in translight flight there efficiency is much reduced inside the nebula.

"The orders from Alliance Command are to destroy all Minbari military assets in the system to accomplish this objective your fighters and bombers are being outfitted to carry antimatter missiles in place of your standard disruptor rocket/torpedo armaments. Once all military assets in the system are destroyed marine units will board the station and cease any useful information or technology right before we destroy the station as well. Any questions?"

Sinclair put up his hand. "Yes lieutenant?"

"Sir what about the jump gate the Minbari are sure to send a distress signal as soon as the attack begins. The Minbari probably won't take long to respond and come charging out of hyperspace seeking revenge."

"That has been thought of. Now as you know the rules of war among the local races means we cannot destroy the gate without causing a disruption in the whole hyperspace beacon network and possibly causing the other races to ally against us. Instead we will be taking advantage of a nasty reaction that is known to occur between strong dark energy fields and hyperspace. Trust me when I say lieutenant the Minbari will find accessing the system impossible for several hours after our attack begins."

"Understood sir," Sinclair acknowledged inwardly smiling as he suddenly had a very good idea what they were planning to do to deny any Minbari reinforcements access to the system until long after their attack was finished. _Man oh man the Minbari really aren't going to like us for this, not that they like us anyway,_ he thought, _but it will put them on even more notice that we're not pushovers and quite capable of defending ourselves and fully capable of bringing the war right to their own doorstep. Maybe that will give them enough of an impetus to reach a diplomatic solution to this whole mess._

"Any more questions," de Marco asked. When no one answered he gave a small smile and dismissed the holographic display automatically bringing the rooms lights back up to normal level. "Excellent. Individual squadron briefings will be held tomorrow morning at 0800 hours, I would advise you all to make sure you get a full night's sleep as you are definitely going to need it. Until then dismissed."

With that the _Yorktown's_ master turned and left the room. Immediately everyone started to get up to leave, everyone talking about the planned attack on the Minbari shipyard/storage facility. An attack that if everything went as planned would be a deeply damaging blow not just to the resources available to the Minbari fleet but a powerful psychological blow against the aliens and their apparent belief in their own invincibility.

"So what do you think lieutenant," Mitchell asked seeing Sinclair hadn't gotten up from his seat, lost in his thoughts about the planned attack.

"It's a bold plan," Sinclair admitted "one that could easily backfire on us if we're not careful."

"Maybe but how much more could the Minbari hate us than they already do," Mitchell asked, "I wish I knew what has prompted them to start this war. It can't be just because of what happened with the _Prometheus_ and that trigger happy moron Jankowski."

"Me too, Mitchell, me too," Sinclair replied with a sigh as he got to his feet.

"Whatever the reason is we can't keep sitting behind our borders forever and making the Minbari keep coming to them," Mitchell added. "We can't let the initiative stay solely with the boneheads. Who knows striking shipyard might push the Minbari into a defensive stance as they suddenly realise they're vulnerable. A skilled diplomat like whichever matriarch arrived on that Asari dreadnought can possibly build on that and negotiate first a cease fire then a permanent peace treaty."

"True."

"Now come on I believe there are two seats in the mess hall with our names on them."

"Just try not to eat half the stuff on offer this time," Sinclair replied with a grin even as felt a pang of hunger in his stomach – normally they would have had dinner by now but the briefing had gotten in the way.

"I'm not that bad. You know Walker eats more than I do and you never have a go at him about it."

"Yeah well he's biotic he's got a good reason to eat so much. You just like the taste of food, even when it's military provisions. How that can be I really don't know."

"I just like them that's all."

"Which only proves on thing Mitchell, you're weird."

"And yet you put up with me."

"Weird or not you're still the best wingman on the ship."

"And don't you forget it."

"As if I could, you're so subtle about reminding me sometimes."

Mitchell grinned back cheekily before walking out of the briefing room. Sinclair for his part stood back a moment and glanced back at where the holographic display had been. As he had said to Mitchell it was a bold plan and one that he privately had doubts about. But it was orders and Mitchell was right they couldn't stay on the defensive forever; the initiative couldn't be allowed to stay with the Minbari. He just hoped that they were doing the right thing. After a moment he sighed and hurried after Mitchell. Whether the attack on the Minbari shipyard/storage facility was the right thing to do or not was something only time would tell.

It always did.

* * *

**Authors Note: Phew I cannot believe how much trouble this chapter has given me my personal thanks to Tscorpio1701 for all the help with the first bit of this chapter. Next chapter will see the first appearance of G'Kar and possibly Londo so something for everyone to look forward to.**


	10. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine**_

**Royal Palace**

**Centauri Prime, Centauri Republic**

**Sometime Later**

Ambassador Londo Mollari felt the butterflies of nerves flickering around in his stomach as a palace guard led him into the private audience chamber of Emperor Turhan. He had no idea why he had abruptly been summoned back to Centauri Prime but one could not ignore a personal summons from the emperor himself, to do so would be literally unthinkable. He had been fortunate that the Terrans made diplomatic courier vessels available to the ambassadors of all the spacefaring races that maintained embassies of their homeworld. It had gotten him back here far faster than any Centauri vessel would have been able to and the Terran pilot had indicated he had been asked to wait to return him to Earth once his meeting with the emperor was concluded.

As he entered the chamber he immediately noticed that the aging Emperor Turhan was waiting for him, sitting with regal serenity upon his throne and garbed in the traditional silver and white of his position with the official seal of the Centauri Republic around his throat. Strangely the emperor seemed to be alone aside from the guards at the entrance, certainly there were no servants in attendance and the entourage of powerful telepathic women who usually were inseparable from the emperor were conspicuous by their absence. Clearly the emperor wished this meeting to be completely private – not even trusting his closest advisors with its contents. Politely he stood before Turhan and waited to be addressed all the while trying to figure out the reason for his summons and for being given the honour of a private meeting with Turhan.

"Ah Mollari welcome," Turhan said in greeting.

"Majesty," Londo acknowledged with a respectful bow. He had great respect for Turhan – it was due to Turhan and his very good and dear friend Prime Minister Malachi that he had his position as ambassador to the Terran Systems Alliance and through them contacts with many of the governments allied to the Citadel. It was a position that was greatly coveted by the other noble houses in the Centaurum for the prestige, political power and opportunities for immense wealth that it brought to whoever held it. House Refa would especially love to take the position away from House Mollari but so far all their attempts had been met with failure, thanks in no small part to covert assistance from both Turhan and Malachi.

"I am sure you are wondering why I have asked you to come here with such urgency."

"The thought had occurred to me majesty," Londo admitted. "Have I in some way displeased you?"

"You can relax Londo you have not displeased me," Turhan told him with a benign smile. "But a situation has arisen out of this war between the Terrans and the Minbari that has caused a great deal of concern among the Centaurum – concern that I need you to deal with as a matter of urgency."

"I will certainly do what I can majesty. What has happened?"

Turhan made a hand gesture and another figure appeared from between the long white curtains that hung around the room, creating a cool, serene atmosphere. A figure that Londo recognised immediately as being Intelligence Minister Drano – one of the most influential and powerful members of the Royal Court as he was the emperor's spy master the one who commanded the Centauri Secret Service in Turhan's name. Drano was the one person in the whole imperial cabinet that didn't have to worry about having his position stolen out from under him, not even the ever ambitious schemer Lord Refa dared to plot against Drano as the latter knew where all the secrets were buried and could no doubt cripple or destroy House Refa if he so desired.

"Drano," Londo said in surprise, he'd not really interacted much with the spy master, though he had interacted with a few of his agents from time to time. The fact that he was speaking to him directly confirmed that whatever had happened it was extremely serious as Londo was well aware that Drano preferred to remain in the background, unseen until he was ready to strike against the enemies of the emperor and the republic.

"Mollari," Drano acknowledged with a polite nod of his head.

"Minister Drano will explain what has happened," Turhan explained. "And what we need you to do."

"It concerns the Narn," Drano added instantly catching Londo's attention. The Narn had been a thorn in the Centauri people's side for decades, ever since the previous emperor had granted the Narn homeworld its freedom. Even though Turhan throughout his reign had been nothing but conciliatory towards them trying to build a foundation for peaceful coexistence the Narn had remained unremittingly hostile towards the Centauri. But what did the Narn have to do with the war between the Terrans and the Minbari?

A sudden horrible thought occurred to him – maybe the Narn were planning to sell the Terrans weapons, weapons that like much of the Narns technology had been scavenged from the Centauri. It would be just like the opportunistic Narn to do something like that in the hopes that the Minbari would at some point capture some of the equipment, assuming it came from the Centauri and attack them. Though that didn't answer why the Terrans would want to buy Centauri-style weapons from the Narn in the first place? Though some aspects of Terran weapons technology looked primitive from a distance it was actually far from it a fact that more than one enemy had learned the hard way. It was certainly advanced enough and capable enough to easily destroy Minbari war cruisers – something that had been shown time and again since the war between the two races had began – there would be no real advantage to them attempting to acquire Centauri weapons for use against the Minbari.

"The Narn," he repeated after a few moments of silence. "What are they doing? Are they planning to sell some of the weapons technology they've stolen from us to the Terrans for use in the war and hope the Minbari suspect us of giving the Terrans those weapons?"

"Nothing like that Mollari, though I wouldn't put it past them to try something like that," Drano replied. "No I'm afraid it is much more serious than that. For several years now the Secret Service has been well aware that the Narns have been conducting experiments for the purpose of developing their own mass effect technology."

"Have they succeeded," Londo asked with a worried frown. Due to spending so long around Terrans he was well aware of just how powerful mass effect technology could be indeed one only had to look at how Terran warships performed against those of the Minbari to see how formidable it could be. The possibility of that technology falling into the hands of the Narn, who wouldn't hesitate to embrace its military applications like the shields and the utterly lethal spatial distortion producing disruptor torpedoes, was something he didn't want to think about.

"Not entirely," Drano answered sounding as grim as Londo felt, which was understandable as he likely knew more than Londo did how much the Narn gaining advanced mass effect technologies like normal space FTL let alone the military technologies would disrupt the current tenuous balance of power between the Centauri Republic and the Narn Regime. "We have had considerable successes in preventing it so far the most the Narn have been able to do is create a very basic artificial gravity and inertial dampening system for their newest warships – particularly the Na'tok sub-type of the G'Quan-class heavy cruiser. While mildly concerning it has not been a major issue considering we have had similar technologies for centuries now and our own mass effect research has been proceeding at an acceptable pace."

"But now something's changed," Londo said calmly while inwardly he was reeling from the revelation that the Centauri were working on developing their own mass effect technology. Though he supposed he shouldn't be surprised as the abilities that came with it were far, far too beneficial to ignore. Especially the normal space FTL capabilities – translight as the Terrans and Citadel races called it – which were completely unaffected by extreme gravitational conditions, certainly not in the way hyperspace was stirred into am impassable maelstrom by them, it would open systems up to colonisation and exploitation that had long been denied to the Centauri by the capricious, volatile nature of hyperspace.

"Unfortunately it has," Drano confirmed, "four days ago a task force of Terran vessels led by the TSV _Defiance_ travelled to the former Dilgar home system to harvest element zero from the asteroid debris created in the destruction of Omelos when the systems star exploded. What they found there was a Narn operation to mine and refine the same material – though due to our agents sabotage they have not been able to – as the Terrans say – work all the bugs out of the refining process. As could be expected the Narns refused to allow the Terrans to mine and made sure their ships left.

"In the days that have passed since then our agents on the Narn homeworld have learned that there are going to be negotiations between the Kha'ri and the Terran Parliament to discuss the setting up of mining rights in the Dilgar system. You can be sure the Narns will ask a high price in exchange as well as the knowledge and technology needed to properly refine the element zero into its pure, stable crystalline form."

"You want me to stop those negotiations yes," Londo asked directing his question to the quietly watching emperor.

"That's correct," Turhan confirmed.

"Forgive me majesty but that might not be easy. If they really want to get their hands on the element zero present in the Dilgar system then I don't see how we will be able to stop them making a deal with the Narns."

"We are aware of that. That is why we wish you to offer the Terrans a counter proposal," Turhan explained before nodding to Drano.

"This may come as something of a surprise to you Mollari but we ourselves have come across considerable deposits of raw element zero in a system on the far edge of our territory near our border with the Yolu. As part of our research into developing mass effect we've been working on means to adapt current quantium forty refining methods to refining the material as in its ore form element zero is just as volatile as quantium forty is," Drano explained shocking Londo as he'd been completely unaware of the development. He'd known of course that they were researching mass effect technology – almost every race known to them was after all – but he hadn't realised that they'd discovered deposits of the material it needed to work in Centauri territory.

"We have not had much success in the endeavour as while ore form quantium forty and ore form element zero do share a number of characteristics they are distinctly different materials with vastly different properties once refined," Drano continued. "The element zero crystals we've been able to produce are shall we say less than satisfactory in their make up and purity and as a result have been extremely unstable."

"Ah," Londo said a look of understanding appearing on his face. "You want me to offer the Terrans mining rights to our source of element zero in exchange for the knowledge and technology to refine the material into its most practical and stable form."

"Precisely," Turhan answered pleased that Londo understood what he wanted and needed him to do. Though he wasn't naive enough to believe that the Terrans would deal exclusively with the Centauri on the issue of mining rights and the transfer of element zero refining technology – they would certainly make a deal with the Narns as well. The Terrans – despite the opinions of some in the Centaurum who felt the Centauri were ignored more often than not in favour of the Citadel races – weren't ignorant of the realities of Orion Arm galactic politics, they knew as well as he did the importance of maintaining a balance of power between the Centauri Republic and the Narn Regime. It was the only way to prevent a full scale war between the two of them that would claim thousands of lives at best and millions or billions at worst.

Londo nodded. "I will do my very best to secure the best deal for us majesty," he vowed making a quick mental note to schedule a meeting with either President Levy or one of her senior aides to raise the issue. Getting an agreement would hopefully not be too difficult, especially if the Terrans wanted the additional source of element zero badly enough. They would just have to be careful and not be stupid over what they wanted in return for the mining rights, if they made the price to high it would only play into the hands of the Narn.

"I am confident that you will do your best Mollari," Turhan replied with a benevolent smile. "I won't keep you here any longer. You must be tired from your journey, take some time to rest and freshen up before boarding the transport back to Earth."

"Thank you majesty I will do so."

"You mean leave now, Mollari."

Londo bowed in respect one last time before accepting the Emperors dismissal and leaving the private audience chamber. From his position on the throne Turhan watched him leave, he continued to watch until he knew that Londo was out of earshot.

"What do you think," he said though he was not addressing Drano but the forth person who'd been in the room the whole time this meeting had taken place, though she had remained hidden to avoid raising awkward questions from the ambassador.

"I think that went better than could be expected," a female voice answered a moment before a Terran woman stepped out from behind the drapes where she'd been listening intently to the discussion. By anyone's standards she was very beautiful with long, thick black hair that cascaded over her shoulders and possessing a perfectly sculpted body that her tight black and white jumpsuit did absolutely nothing to hide. Despite her beauty however her flawless facial features were cold composed and might as well have been made from granite for all the emotion she displayed.

"Mollari is no fool Ms Lawson," Minister Drano replied giving the Terran a wary look having dealt with the organisation she represented a few times, an organisation that had given him and the whole Secret Service more than one headache in the last few years. "Unlike some other members of the Centaurum he served in the military and knows how dangerous the Narn getting mass effect technology will be to us. He will succeed in the task that has been set before him especially if you are able to honour your end of our deal."

Miranda Lawson gave a small smile. "The Illusive Man prides himself on keeping his word Minister Drano," she replied with conviction. "Our agreement will stand, we will give your people the information we promised you."

"I am glad to hear that Ms Lawson," Turhan said. "Now if you would be so kind as to answer my question. Why did you bring us the information about the encounter between the _Defiance_ and the Narn? The few times our paths have crossed before Cerberus and us have not exactly seen eye to eye."

"I understand your majesty and the reason we told you is quite simple. Cerberus doesn't want the Narn to gain any more mass effect technology than they already have," Miranda replied. "We haven't forgotten how opportunistic and expansionist the Narn are, they did after all give the Dilgar some support during the war despite being officially neutral in the conflict after the retaking of Hilak Seven. Like the Batarians they cannot be trusted and stopping them gaining mass effect technology now will save both our species considerable trouble in the future."

"Assuming your species has a future Ms Lawson," Drano said. "You must first survive battle with the Minbari."

Miranda gave a small smile. "That matter is well in hand," she replied. "While we are hopeful that the Council delegation will get the Minbari to see sense we know better than to bank on it. Cerberus already has a number of projects in the works to deal with the Minbari should diplomacy fail. One way or another they will not be a threat for long."

Turhan shivered as Miranda spoke the last part, the very tone of her voice sending a chill down his spine. Whatever it was Cerberus was planning for the Minbari should the war continue he didn't really want to know. It was sure to be as ruthless as it was effective and completely impossible to trace back to the shadowy organisation – an organisation that had so far defied all attempts by the Secret Service to infiltrate and which had aggressively retaliated for all attempts.

"I'm sure," he said.

"Now if you will excuse me your majesty I must go and speak with my superiors," Miranda said changing the topic from Cerberus' plans for the Minbari. Plans she herself wasn't particularly involved in, but such was the way of things with Cerberus. What she didn't know she couldn't reveal in the event that she was captured. Whatever the plans were however she knew that they would remove the Minbari as a threat to humanity _permanently_.

"Of course Ms Lawson," Turhan replied giving a polite smile, which was acknowledged with a nod before the beautiful but ice cold Terran woman left the audience room, leaving him and Drano alone. "Watch her closely let me know everything she does while she's here on Centauri Prime," he said softly to Drano as she left earshot.

"As you wish majesty."

* * *

Miranda smiled softly as her sharper than normal hearing caught Emperor Turhan's last words to Minister Drano. The old Centauri clearly didn't realise that thanks to her father her hearing was far sharper than most other Terrans. She wasn't surprised to find out that Turhan didn't really trust her – the meaning behind his order was clear after all – but that didn't matter. As long as the Centauri remained on friendly terms with humanity she couldn't give a Vorcha's ass what a cranky old man – albeit a very powerful one – thought about her.

Slipping into one of the side passages used by servants of the royal court to get around the palace quickly she merged herself into the shadows. Then retrieved a small metal disc from a pocket and activated it – the miniature quantum entanglement communicator instantly connecting her with The Illusive Man. A twelve inch miniature version of her boss appeared before her – a lit cigarette in between the middle fingers of his right hand as always.

"Report," TIM demanded.

"It's done," Miranda reported calmly. "The Centauri have been apprised of the situation with the Narn and are going to make a counter-offer to the Alliance."

"Excellent. Return here as soon as you can, Miranda. I have another assignment in mind for you."

"Understood sir I will start back immediately."

"Your next assignment will be waiting for you when you arrive," TIM replied before breaking the connection from his end. The pint sized hologram of the leader of Cerberus faded away and Miranda quickly returned the communicator to one of the hidden pockets on her jumpsuit before leaving the servant's corridor and heading for the palaces own landing platforms where her ship was birthed with a spring in her step. Something in The Illusive Man's tone had indicated that her next assignment was going to be very interesting and challenging – certainly a lot more than this relatively straightforward assignment had been.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

**Cerberus Headquarters**

**Unknown System**

Sitting in the darkness of his office the man once known as Jack Harper watched as the hologram of one his best operatives faded from in front of him. He hadn't doubted that Miranda would succeed in her mission to the Centauri Royal Court – her background had made her the ideal choice to carry out the mission. The threat of the Narn getting advanced mass effect technology had been cut off in the bud or at very least delayed for the time being. It wasn't a permanent solution he knew but it would do for now and as for the Centauri getting it, sabotaging there efforts at a later date and making it look like the work of the Narn would be child's play.

_One threat down, now to focus on the larger problem of the Minbari_, he thought before bringing up a holographic console and tapping in a command. For a moment more nothing happened then the quantum entanglement communicator came to life again and the life sized hologram of one of the many scientists in his employ appeared before him. "Doctor Chen," he said in greeting to the middle aged oriental woman. "Has there been any progress?"

"Yes sir there has been," Doctor Atlanta Chen replied. "We have completed our tests on the subjects you were able to acquire for us. We now have a complete map of the Minbari genome and have identified a number of possible attack vectors that would be of use. However our tests have revealed something else about the Minbari genome, something very interesting."

"Oh?"

"It appears that Minbari DNA has a surprising degree of instability in it," Chen explained. "The molecular structure of the chromosomes is slowly but surely breaking down causing an increase in the occurrence of genetic disease and sterility. Every Minbari we tested shows the same genetic degradation to varying degrees of severity, if this trend is reflected in the larger Minbari population then I can say that as a race the Minbari are slowly but surely dying and have been on a path to extinction for quite sometime."

"How long do they have," TIM asked in surprise. "And do you know what is causing the genetic breakdown in the first place?"

"If the rate of degradation observed in the test subjects is endemic of the species as a whole, I estimate that within five hundred years the Minbari population will enter a terminal decline, within a thousand years at the most the species will completely cease to exist as anything other than a memory," Chen answered. "As for what is causing it, we've investigated it and it appears to be linked to a specific of sequence of genes that is not natural to the Minbari genome. These foreign genes are literally causing Minbari DNA structures to begin unravelling. We've scanned the foreign genes and compared them to our records and what they've revealed is surprising and quite disturbing."

"Go on," TIM prompted taking a drag of his cigarette and listening even more intently to the surprising report.

Chen swallowed nervously. "Our analysis of the foreign genes reveals that they're Terran in origin," she replied sounding like she could barely believe the revelation she was reporting herself.

"What!" TIM exclaimed bionic eyes widening in surprise and shock. "Are you sure?"

"We ran the test three times sir there is no mistake," Chen replied. "I even had our analysis machines checked for faults, there were none. The Minbari have Terran DNA in their genetic makeup and from the depth of the integration with the rest of the Minbari genome it's been there a long time."

"How is that even possible? We didn't meet the Minbari till two months ago, how the hell can they have our DNA in them?"

"I have no idea of the exact mechanics of it sir we have no theories about how you would go about doing something like this. However if I had to guess I would say that at some point in the past someone, somehow hybridised a Terran and a Minbari. However whoever did it didn't do a very good job of it – the links binding the two types of DNA are breaking down which is spilling over into the rest of the genome."

TIM blinked and considered what he had just been told. The fact that the Minbari had Terran DNA in there makeup was shocking and not something he would have ever expected to happen in a million years. The question was who had done it, who had combined there DNA with that of the Minbari – albeit not very effectively if the Terran DNA was slowly bringing about the end of the Minbari race. _As shocking as this is it does present us with a unique opportunity,_ he thought.

"Doctor Chen do you think it would be possible to artificially increase the rate of the genetic degradation," he asked stubbing out the used cigarette and putting it in the ashtray built into one arm of his chair.

Chen frowned thoughtfully. "I believe it maybe possible sir," she said after a few moments of carefully thinking about it. "It will require some creative thinking, especially if we don't want the virus created to mutate and potentially affect us as well as the Minbari."

"Begin work on the virus. Also forward a copy of your findings on the Minbari's DNA to me."

"Yes sir I'll do it right away."

"Keep me apprised of your progress doctor," TIM instructed then broke the connection from his end. After taking another cigarette out of the packet in his right pocket and lighting it he turned his chair around to look at the sun the station orbited. The revelations that the good doctor had just told him were deeply shocking. He couldn't help but wonder who it was who had mingled Terran DNA with that of the Minbari – possibly without the slightest idea or care about what the long term consequences would be.

Whoever the culprits were he knew they had to be incredibly advanced, at least in the area of biotech science certainly beyond the capabilities of any known race – even the Salarians wouldn't be capable of mixing the DNA of completely different species together. Plus it wouldn't be the first time that someone had messed about with Terran DNA – the appearance of the telepath gene over a hundred years ago was proof of that as analysis of the gene in question had shown it was artificial. _Maybe the same race that introduced the telepathy gene is also responsible for mingling our DNA with that of the Minbari. If that's the case is there something nasty about the telepath gene, is it going to cause us problems in the future,_ he thought before frowning at the troubling thought. He quickly made a mental note to set another research team to work on doing a more in depth analysis of the telepath gene and do projections on its possible long term effects on humanities genome.

A chime caught his attention and he brought up a console and smiled when he saw that Doctor Chen had just forwarded him her data on the Minbari genome. He was pragmatic enough to realise that the information could be of great use, and not just in creating a weapon to destroy the Minbari people if they continued to threaten his race with extermination. The information could also be used to potentially save the Minbari as while he wasn't a geneticist he knew it should be possible to create a retrovirus to repair the flaws caused by the incompatible DNA elements. The data would certainly be useful in peace negotiations if it was placed in the right hands, something that could be easily arranged. Summoning another console he typed in a coded order to one of his deep cover operatives and forwarded a copy of Doctor Chen's data. In a few hours the information would no doubt find its way into the hands of the admiral in charge of Alliance Naval Intelligence – what they chose to do with it from there was their choice.

Then dismissing the consoles he leaned back in his chair to smoke his cigarette and consider the revelations that had just been revealed to him, revelations that though he didn't know it yet were going to have a profound effect on humanities future.

* * *

**_Authors Note: First let me apologise for G'Kar not being in this chapter as I indicated he would be after the last update. When I started writing this I found that the Centauri scene worked quite well and I couldn't resist the temptation to bring Cerberus into things. G'Kar will therefore appear within the next chapter or two which will also see Londo return in his attempts to stop the Narn getting what they want._**


	11. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten**_

**Minbari War Frigate Tuzan'Shan**

**Na'vel System, Eye of Orion Nebula**

**Sometime Later**

Alyt Tulann smiled at his data pad as he studied the latest reports from the front lines with the callous, murderous Terrans. He regularly checked up on the progress of the war as it made him and the other warriors stationed here feel less alone – the worker caste members on the station were not the best company for warriors after all and thus the two castes rarely interacted beyond what was necessary to do their respective jobs. According to the reports the war was finally beginning to get moving, unfortunately the Minbari were still being forced to be cautious in their advance due to the Terran fleet having tracked down and destroyed many of the hyperspace beacons that the Anla'shok and advanced squadrons of Minbari warships had deployed in their space over the last two months. The bulk of the fleet gathered for the invasion and destruction of Terran space was being forced to hang back in Minbari space while replacements were deployed by advanced groups. A process which was proving to be hazardous in the extreme to the crews and ships involved as more often than not they would come out of hyperspace to find Terran warships waiting to greet them with a hail of weapons fire.

In the last two days alone there had been three small battles between Terran and Minbari forces, the latter having won two of them – albeit losing five warships, including one Sharlin, and forty Niall fighters in the process, but had decisively lost the third when the force of nine Sharlin's and twelve Tinashi's had been confronted by eight enemy cruisers, six destroyers and twelve frigates. The Minbari had been forced to withdraw from that battle as the Terran warships had opened up on them from far beyond their own weapons range destroying or seriously damaging several ships before the battle group had been able to jump back into the safety of hyperspace. _There has to be something we can do about those mass accelerator weapons the Terrans have. Coupled with their sensors ability to penetrate our stealth systems those damned things give them a dangerous and potentially decisive range advantage over us,_ he thought not for the first time shivering at the reports of the punishing damage those weapons could inflict upon Minbari vessels and the crews within, especially how they could turn the polycrystalline armour that normally protected them into a lethal hail of extremely sharp, hypervelocity fragments, fragments that could easily cut a full grown Minbari warrior in half.

Despite the losses his caste was taking Tulann found himself – not for the first time since the war had began – wishing he could be on the front lines with his Star Rider brothers and sisters. While there was no getting away from the fact that they were murderers who'd cruelly taken Dukhat before his time, the Terrans were also proving themselves to be a very formidable and capable enemy. An enemy who was presenting the warrior caste with a challenge the likes of which they hadn't faced in a very long time, certainly a challenge on a scale that they hadn't faced for a couple of centuries. The fact that Terran sensors were advanced enough to see through his people's stealth technology made the challenge all the more enjoyable and his warriors blood sung at the prospect of fighting someone who was proving to be such a worthy adversary.

Unfortunately however he doubted he would ever get the chance to test himself in battle against his people's powerful new enemy. His duty required that he and his ships remain here in the Na'vel System protecting the largest – and most remote – of the Minbari's mothball yards. Like many of his predecessors Tulann considered it a boring and unnecessary duty, after all no one other than the Minbari or the First Ones themselves could hope to get past the hyperspace storms around this system to attack the shipyard, but one that he would fulfil to the best of his ability. It didn't however stop him wishing he could get a transfer to the front lines.

Pushing aside his thoughts Tulann sighed and was just picking up another data pad, this one containing a copy of the supply schedule, when the alarms began sounding the melodic but at the same time urgent call to battle stations. _What in Valen's name,_ he thought eyes widening in surprise knowing there was no battle drill scheduled for today before reaching out and tapping his desktop comm. unit. "Alyt Tulann to bridge report?" he demanded.

"Alyt a large force of Terran warships has just appeared in normal space sixty thousand kilometres out from the shipyards outer markers, we had no warning they just appeared out of nowhere," the shocked voice of his first officer Yuteen replied. "They are advancing on our position at high speed, we've confirmed that they are on an attack vector and that their weapons systems are active and tracking, gun ports are open."

"How many ships and time to optimal firing range," Tulann demanded as shocked and alarmed at the appearance of a Terran fleet in the Na'vel System as his first officer was. _How in Valen's name did they get this far into our space without being detected? And how did they get past the hyperspace storms surrounding the system,_ he thought incredulous, before remembering some of the reports he'd read, reports that indicated that the Terrans didn't use hyperspace much for interstellar travel if they used it at all and instead had found away of doing what Minbari science had long considered impossible. And that was to travel at faster than light speeds without leaving normal space-time.

Until now he always dismissed it as being somewhat ridiculous, no one known to the Minbari had ever been able to do that before not even the Vorlons, but now he didn't. If the Terrans could indeed travel faster than light in normal space then it would explain how they'd gotten so far inside the Minbari Federation without being detected as like everyone else the Minbari relied extensively on hyperspace probes to spot hostile warships travelling through hyperspace, probes that the Terrans would easily be able to bypass entirely with normal space FTL. It would also explain why the hyperspace storms spawned by The Eye would not be an obstacle to them, in fact becoming an ally as there were some areas of The Eye where the storms were too strong for even his people to navigate.

"Scanners confirm thirty-eight enemy capital ships, Alyt," Yuteen replied sounding grim, "based on previously observed Terran tactics they will be in optimal range to open fire with their kinetic weapons in one minute and thirty-eight seconds."

"I'll be right there," Tulann replied grimly wishing not for the first time that Tinashi-class war frigates had a tactical centre like a Sharlin or Shagotti-class war cruiser did. It would make directing the coming battle that much easier for him, unfortunately they didn't have that technology. The Tinashi-class war frigate was too small to accommodate a proper tactical centre on top of other modern systems like the quantum gravitic reactor the ships hull design after all was over a thousand years old as the Tinashi-class had been the final evolution of the Great War era Tinash'Haza-class war cruisers and thus there were limits to what even the most creative of worker caste engineers could stuff into the hull.

"In the meantime power up all weapons systems and open gun ports, scramble all fighters and prepare to engage the enemy," he ordered after a moment, "also send a priority one message to Minbar informing them that we are under Terran attack and request urgent reinforcements."

"Yes Alyt."

As Yuteen signed off Tulann stepped around his desk and hurried out of his chambers towards the bridge. The normally quiet corridors were a buzz with activity as fellow warriors hurried to man their battle stations, while the handfuls of worker and religious caste crew onboard hurried to man damage control stations or the medical facilities respectively. Tulann paid it little mind as he hurried towards the bridge, already working out how he was going to fight a successful engagement against a force of Terran warships that had him both massively outnumbered and massively outgunned. It would not be easy and might even prove to be impossible but he had to try and defeat the incoming enemy, his duty and honour as a warrior demanded it.

He was still trying to think of a strategy when he arrived on the bridge. By design the bridge of any Minbari warship and the commanding officers personal chambers were close together, the idea being that it would let the commander respond to any emergency or combat situation almost immediately.

"Status report," he ordered as he moved to the command chair in the centre of the bridge.

"All ships report ready for combat Alyt," Yuteen replied from her console beside the commander's chair. "All fighter squadrons have been launched and are moving to intercept the approaching enemy fighters. All weapons systems are at full readiness and gun ports are open."

"Prepare to engage the enemy, status of enemy forces?"

"Enemy fighters and smaller capital ships are continuing to close, some are moving to intercept our fighters the others are continuing to close on the shipyards, estimate they'll be in firing range of the perimeter defence satellites in one minute. However the Terran heavy capital ships have halted their approach," Yuteen replied just as her console chimed for attention. "Sensors are reading a power surge on the largest Terran ship they're opening a jump point," she reported sounded bemused at the development.

Tulann frowned slightly in confusion. _Why would the enemy open a jump point? They can't be thinking about retreat surely as they have us massively outnumbered and outgunned,_ he thought completely at a loss to explain the behaviour of the enemy. "Show me," he ordered.

Immediately the holographic display shimmered into existence at the front of the bridge showing a high definition visual image of a section of the space outside the ship. The eight largest Terran warships – sharply silhouetted against the multi-coloured background of the nebula – floated in the centre of the display, the two dimensional orange coloured disc of an outbound jump point appearing near to them. Yet strangely they weren't manoeuvring to transit through it into hyperspace, obviously retreat to hyperspace wasn't on their agenda as they were just sitting there. _What in Valen's name are they doing,_ he wondered a puzzled frown appearing on his face.

He didn't have much time to think about it however as the sensors abruptly screamed a warning a moment before a storm of the glowing blue projectiles that had become frighteningly familiar to the Minbari erupted from the Terran warships. In no more than two seconds a hundred and twenty of the deadly spatial distortion producing weapons was hurled into space by electromagnetic launchers. Forming up into two massive waves, the torpedoes immediately vectored away from the warships that had launched them…

…and charged through the open jump point into hyperspace.

* * *

**Combat Information Centre**

**TSV Vesuvius**

**A Few Minutes Earlier**

"All primary fighter and bomber squadrons have been launched and are approaching the shipyards outer defence perimeter. Minbari fighters inbound from the battlecruisers on an intercept trajectory, intercept in four minutes."

"Dispatch frigate squadrons one and two and escort fighter groups one through nine to intercept the Minbari fighters," Captain Yvonne Turner ordered calmly as she kept her eyes focused on the holographic situation table that dominated the centre of the CIC. The Minbari were reacting with admirable speed to their surprise arrival, with all three battlecruisers having hurriedly scrambled their fighters and were now moving to directly challenge the forces under her command even though the Minbari were almost certainly aware of the fact that they were both massively outnumbered and massively outgunned. She couldn't help but admire her opposite number aboard the enemy flagship, he or she had to know that this was a fight that they couldn't hope to win yet they were still moving to challenge her fleet.

"Strange," a flanged sounding, vaguely feminine voice said from beside her and Yvonne looked over to the Turian Spectre Telia Halos giving her species equivalent of a frown as she studied the holographic display. Yvonne would be lying if she said she was happy about having the Turian onboard her ship for this mission, but she hadn't been given much choice but to bring the Spectre along. When she'd learned of their plans Matriarch Benezia had insisted that the Spectre assigned to her delegation be sent along to observe the battle and there was no real way to refuse her.

"The Minbari commander must know that in approaching this fleet they're coming straight to their deaths," Telia explained as she noticed Yvonne looking at her. "We can blow them out of space long before they are able to get close enough to even fire ranging shots at us."

"You can bet they know that," Yvonne replied. "They're hoping to distract us, buy some time for reinforcements to arrive with their lives."

"Admirable."

"And pointless and its time we made it clear to the Minbari that they won't be getting any reinforcements any time soon," Yvonne answered before looking over at one of the officers manning the CIC consoles. "Activate forward jump engines, open a portal to hyperspace. Ready a full barrage of disruptor torpedoes, instruct the carriers and cruisers to also prepare torpedoes. We'll fire into hyperspace in two staggered waves."

"Aye aye ma'am," the officer acknowledged his hands dancing across the holographic keys of the haptic interface relaying the instructions.

"What does firing disruptor torpedoes into hyperspace have to do with preventing the Minbari from getting any reinforcements to this system in time to stop the attack," Telia asked puzzled, like most citizens from Citadel Space she knew very little about hyperspace. She knew that it could be almost as fast as a basic generation one or two mass effect FTL drive a revelation that had intrigued the Citadel Council no end as soon as they'd learned of it from the Terrans shortly after the whole Shanxi mess was sorted out. They'd briefly looked into using hyperspace themselves, especially as it didn't have the problems the translight drives of the time had had.

Unfortunately they'd also learned that while hyperspace was a reasonably good way of getting around it had a number of major drawbacks. The biggest being that you couldn't easily navigate hyperspace easily, instead you were totally dependant on a network of tachyon beacons to find your way, it was one of the main reasons why the Council had decided against the use of hyperspace in Citadel Space. The only facet of it that they used was tachyon comm. relays which offered a speed and extranet bandwidth improvement over the older FTL comm. buoys they were also much easier and cheaper to produce and maintain.

Yvonne smiled. "Just over a hundred years ago when we first learned of the existence of hyperspace and the jump gates from the Centauri we carried out a number of experiments to see if we could combine hyperspace travel with our normal translight systems," she explained. "The theory was that if we could do so it would enable us to rival the speed of mass relays for FTL travel, unfortunately the experiments were a costly failure but during them we discovered something interesting and deadly. Something that proved hugely beneficial to us during the war with the Dilgar Imperium, especially when we wanted to make the Dilgar stand and fight."

"Really," Telia replied giving the Turian equivalent of a raised eyebrow, eyes and posture inviting her to explain further.

"We discovered the strong dark energy emissions like those produced by mass effect core when accelerating to translight or the warheads of disruptor torpedoes, interacts negatively with hyperspace," Yvonne continued, "negatively as in violently. When a mass effect field encounters hyperspace it causes a very large dark energy explosion that spawns a relatively short lived but extremely powerful hyperspace storm. A storm so powerful that no known ship is capable of navigating without getting torn to shreds by the gravitic sheering forces."

"I see," Telia answered mentally filing that information away the Council would be interested in learning of that particular effect as it could prove to be very useful and beneficial information. The Salarian Councillor would certainly be interested to learn of the effect given the Salarians hadn't entirely given up their research into hyperspace technology in the way her own people and the Asari had.

"Captain forward jump engines are online, jump point opening now. All ships report ready to launch torpedoes," one of the tactical officers reported.

"Fire," Yvonne ordered calmly. A moment later there came a distant thumping whoosh as the dreadnoughts electromagnetic torpedo launchers sent a full salvo of forty disruptor torpedoes screaming into space. Symbols and vector lines appeared on the hologram tracking the torpedoes as they streaked towards the open jump point. Additional symbols and vector lines appeared as the two carriers and five cruisers holding formation with the _Vesuvius_ unleashed full salvos from their own torpedo tubes. A hundred and twenty of the powered projectiles – forming up into two waves of sixty weapons apiece – streaked into the jump point ready to metaphorically set the local hyperspace on fire and deny the Minbari forces in this system any reinforcements for a good couple of hours…

…which was all the time they would need to wipe out the shipyards and leave nothing for the Minbari but shattered wreckage.

* * *

The barrage of disruptor torpedoes charged through the glowing two dimensional funnel of the jump point into hyperspace like a stream of lethal blue meteors entering a planets atmosphere. Lightning like forks of energy immediately began to flicker from the torpedoes into the surrounding clouds and eddies of hyperspace causing sections to seem to flex and distort as some of the dark energy bleeding off the active warheads began interacting with the structure of the superluminal space so vital for FTL travel among almost all the races of the Orion Arm.

With mechanical indifference to the effect the simple virtual intelligence packages guiding each individual torpedo began to spread the salvos out into a fan, the first wave spreading deeper into hyperspace creating twisting whirlpool of destabilised hyperspace as they did so. When the VI's of the first wave determined that they were deep enough into the twisting hyperspatial clouds and gravitational eddies they initiated the detonation sequence of the distortion warhead that made the torpedoes so lethal against whatever they touched.

Sixty warheads detonated immediately filling the local space immediately around them with masses of unstable rapidly shifting dark energy. Hyperspace immediately began to seethe and boil as the reaction began to build, the very structure of the space flexed and twisted, writhing as though it was a living being in agony. Clouds and eddies tore apart, twisting and merging as hyperspace recoiled, twisting and warping in upon itself in a gravitational maelstrom whose power made even the worst gas giant super storms look like a light summer rain shower.

Then the second wave of sixty warheads detonated and hyperspace screamed. Waves of distortion and disruption propagated and merged, growing in intensity and severity to the point where any matter encountering them would be instantly reduced to a few scattered molecules spread from one end of the universe to the other. Shockwaves propagated outward from the growing storm enveloping and instantly annihilating the hyperspace probes the Minbari had seeded in the space around the system, ripping them apart like they were made of tin foil and not some of the strongest and most durable alloys that race knew how to construct.

But worse was to come.

The smaller storms that filled hyperspace nearby began to move off their projected tracks. Like iron filings to a magnet they were drawn one by one into the seething maelstrom, shredding apart adding their power to the storm, making it not only expand but grow exponentially in power and ferocity rapidly morphing the man made monster into the biggest hyperspace storm the sector had ever known. A storm so powerful that even the Vorlons would find completely impossible to pass through and remain anywhere near intact.

Na'vel, Tulann and the mothball yards he was tasked to protect were now completely cut off from the rest of the galaxy.

* * *

**Combat Information Centre**

**TSV Vesuvius**

"We have confirmed detonations on all torpedoes," one of the tactical operators reported as on the central hologram the jump point flared brilliantly, flinging off massive arcs of radiant energy from the destabilised hyperspace before closing with a flash of pyrotechnics as the complex energy fields that maintained it destabilised and imploded.

"Excellent," Yvonne replied as she checked the holographic display closely observing how the fighter and bomber squadrons and the destroyers assigned to support them were almost within the projected weapons range of the ring of defence satellites that surrounded the shipyard. Even as she watched a series of vector lines with the colour coded indicators of mass accelerator slugs launched from the destroyers in two staggered waves the vector lines indicating that the target was the closest group of satellites.

"The Minbari are going to be dangerous now," Telia abruptly pointed out studying the display herself as a handful of the red chevrons indicating the Minbari defence satellites vanished from the display as each was hit by multiple mass accelerator slugs each, shredding the relatively lightly armoured structures like so much tinfoil. "As soon as the Minbari realise that we've deprived them of any possibility of reinforcements and that their shipyard defence perimeter is being blown to dust they'll become desperate. And if there is one thing my people learned long ago is that the most dangerous enemy is one who has nothing to loose."

"True but those three ships will be easy enough to deal with," Yvonne replied, "navigation bring us around to bearing one, four, zero mark zero, two, nine. Main guns target the Minbari flagship. Communications instruct the _Red October _to fire on the flagship with us, _Minstrel _and _Wellington_ to target the Minbari vessel off the flagships port flank, _Akira_ and _Kiev_ to target the vessel off the starboard flank."

"Aye aye ma'am," the officers in charge of the tactical and communications consoles in the CIC acknowledged practically in stereo. A moment before alarms sounded from multiple tactical stations.

"Vampire, vampire, vampire Minbari capital ships launching missiles," one of the other tactical officers called out, "tally thirty missiles inbound. Reading fusion warheads estimate twenty megaton blast yield. One minute and forty-five seconds to impact."

"Set forward interceptors to long range dispersive fire coordinate with the cruisers to intercept as many missiles as possible. Stand by pulse lasers to deal with any that get past the interceptors" Yvonne ordered immediately.

"Aye aye ma'am."

"Ma'am forward guns have confirmed a sixty percent probability firing solution on the Minbari flagship," weapons control reported.

"Then by all means, fire."

* * *

A soft shudder of recoil ran through the whole twelve hundred metre length of the _Vesuvius_ as the two heavy mass accelerator cannons running parallel to the mighty dreadnoughts central axis fired, each sending a solid thirty-five kilogram ferrous tungsten slug streaking towards the _Tuzan'Shan_ at two point four percent of light speed. Simultaneously the dreadnoughts forward interceptor grid came to life spewing rapid fire streams of mass effect enhanced plasma bolts towards the storm of incoming Ten'sha fusion missiles on precisely calculated interception trajectories.

Arranged in escort/support positions around the dreadnought and the two carriers that formed the centre of the fleets formation the cruisers also fired their main cannons, sending smaller twenty five kilogram slugs towards the Minbari frigates at one point five percent of light speed before opening up with their own interceptor batteries. Streams of superheated matter encased in coherent dark energy fields shot towards the Minbari missiles, impacting the first missiles as they crossed an invisible line in space. Several of the Ten'sha missiles died immediately as the star core hot kiss of plasma turned then into hazy balls of vaporised metal. Another six missiles died moments later as the virtual intelligences controlling the interceptors adjusted the rapid fire weapons aim slightly. Despite the storm of intercepting fire seventeen of the fast moving Minbari missiles broke through the initial cordon of defensive fire and continued on their course for the _Vesuvius _and the carriers _Yorktown and Kaga_ hanging in formation with her.

Additional streams of plasma reached out for the missiles as the shorter ranged interceptor batteries on the carriers joined in. Eight more Minbari missiles flashing out of existence in bursts of ionic flame as the fresh volleys struck them dead on. The remaining nine Ten'sha missiles spread out, singling out their individual targets as the range continued to close. Brilliant red bolts of energy began to shoot towards the missiles mixing with a third volley of blue-white plasma bolts as the gatling pulse lasers that made up the bulk of a Terran warships close in armaments opened up creating a dense web of energy and superheated matter around the warships.

For the remaining nine Minbari missiles the web might as well have been a wall. One by one each missile was struck, sometimes by multiple pulses, and vanished in momentary bursts of liberated energy that rapidly cooled and faded leaving their targets completely unharmed.

Unfortunately the same could not be said for the three Minbari warships that had fired them.

Even as the last missile flashed out of existence the first mass accelerator rounds fired by the _Vesuvius_ reached the Minbari. One of the two slugs went wide, skimming past the _Tuzan'Shan's_ starboard side in a clean miss, the other slug however struck the war frigate directly on its bow, the round squashing as it do so, the slug transferring all of its immense kinetic energy to its target. Polycrystalline armour over the front third of the Tinashi momentarily rippled like water before shattering outwards in a blizzard of crystalline dust and razor sharp, hypervelocity fragments as the crystal lattice structure of the armour was subjected to forces it had never been designed to withstand. Hull metal beneath the shattering armour bowed alarmingly as the normally mighty warship reeled back in space like a boxer who'd just taken a uppercut to the chin. Aboard the _Tuzan'Shan_ Tulann and his entire crew were sent flying out of their chairs or off their feet as the frigate shuddered in agony, slamming into decking or bulkheads with near bone cracking force.

Before the frigate could recover the two shots from the _Red October_ arrived, both slamming into the vulnerable bow ripping through the hull metal, squashing and shattering as they did so filling the interior of the ship with hypervelocity fragments sharper than razor blades and harder than diamond. Dozens of compartments across the forward decks, including the hanger bay, violently decompressed sucking debris, equipment and the bodies of dead or dying crew into space through the breaches before internal bulkhead doors slammed closed sealing off the holed sections from the rest of the vessel. Not that the rest of the vessel was trouble free. Systems went down all over as the shockwaves rippled through the interior of the vessel shattering circuits, snapping power connectors and triggering a barrage of overloads and systems failures. Main power flickered and died and the _Tuzan'Shan _began to drift, spinning slowly in an uncontrolled lateral counter-clockwise spin from the inertia imparted by the mass accelerator slugs.

The situation for the other two Tinashi was much the same. Both took four direct strikes apiece shattering armour and hull metal, triggering explosive decompressions and systems failures. In moments they joined their flagship, drifting helpless and harmless admit a spreading field of gas, debris and crystalline dust.

* * *

**Combat Information Centre**

**TSV Vesuvius**

"Multiple direct mass accelerator strikes on all three Minbari battlecruisers," one of the tactical officers reported calmly across the organised chaos of the CIC. "Scanners confirm all three battlecruisers have suffered heavy damage, they've lost primary power, weapons and propulsion. They're dead in the water ma'am."

"Excellent," Yvonne answered, "status of the fighter and bomber squadrons?"

"Bombers have completed preliminary attack runs on the outer slip stations, all primary targets destroyed or breaking up," tactical reported, "Minbari fighters are attempting to engage them but the escorting fighters and frigates are keeping them away."

"Communications contact the _Yorktown _and the _Kaga_, instruct them to launch reserve squadrons and have them join the attack on the shipyards then contact the cruisers and tell them to do the same," Yvonne ordered, "navigation move us to within energy weapon range of the shipyards second ring, weapons load forward torpedo tubes with antimatter warheads, all gun batteries to commence firing on the docked ships as soon we enter optimal range. Tactical tell all marine boarding parties to get to their ships and be prepared to launch on my order."

"Aye aye ma'am."

"You're not going to destroy the disabled Minbari battlecruisers," Telia asked surprised that Captain Turner hadn't given the order to fire upon the disabled battlecruisers again, a salvo that would surely blow the crippled ships out of space. All the reports she had read on the Minbari indicated that if their positions were reversed the Minbari wouldn't have hesitated to destroy the _Vesuvius_ or any other Terran vessel.

"No I won't destroy them," Yvonne answered, "those three ships are no longer a threat to us or to our mission – not that they were that much of a threat to begin with. If I ordered them destroyed now I would be basically murdering defenceless crews on helpless ships. I won't do that."

"Merciful though the Minbari would not have extended the same courtesy to you if your positions we're reversed."

"I'm sure they wouldn't. But we're not the Minbari there is no honour in destroying a vessel that can no longer fight back, just like there is no honour in destroying unarmed civilian transport ships without warning or provocation."

"I understand," Telia replied calmly before glancing back at the disabled Minbari ships, ignoring the faint shiver of acceleration that momentarily ran through the deck beneath her feet as the dreadnought's powerful proton/anti-proton drives started up again. Despite all the reports on the war that her position as a Spectre had allowed her to read, she was surprised by how quickly those ships were defeated. The unknown crystalline polymers the Minbari used in their starship armour was highly advanced easily rivalling the Silaris armour the Asari had recently come up with and were installing on all new warships – the _Resplendent Justice _having been the first to be armoured completely with Silaris from the word go – and retrofitting onto existing ships like the _Destiny Ascension._ However unlike Silaris armour the Minbari material seemed to buckle and shatter incredibly easily under heavy kinetic strikes like those from a starships main mass accelerator cannons.

After a moment more thought she mentally shrugged. The surprising fragility of Minbari warships to kinetics was a puzzle that wasn't hers to solve. She was just here to observe the mission to destroy this shipyard, a mission that now seemed to be entering into its final phases.

* * *

Like the mighty predator that she was the _Vesuvius_ advanced upon the Minbari shipyards, trailing a glittering slick of highly energetic particles behind her from her mighty antimatter engines. Ahead of her large sections of the outer ring of slips lay shattered and broken, the once powerful but helpless Minbari warships docked with them reduced to gutted, smouldering wrecks or blown into showers of metallic dust and crystalline shards by the impact of fighter and bomber launched antimatter torpedoes and missiles. The clouds of dust and debris flickered and glowed with the light of additional explosions and the near constant flashing of weapons fire as the decreasing numbers of Niall fighters launched from the three Tinashi fought a desperate, futile battle to try and save the shipyards.

The _Vesuvius_ – as mighty and deadly as the infamous Italian volcano after which she was named – paid no mind to the ongoing explosions, as she slipped through a plume of irradiated metallic dust and brought a chunk of the next ring of slips into her weapons range. Immediately the dreadnought opened fire. Mass accelerator slugs burst from her spinal guns while every plasma turret that could be brought to bear began sending pulses of plasmatic devastation encased in coherent dark energy fields streaking towards her target. Antimatter torpedoes screamed out of her forward launch tubes even as the powerful heavy beam laser cannons finally added their fury to the firestorm being unleashed upon the shipyards and the helpless ships docked with it.

The massive storm of raw firepower slammed into the fragile structure of the shipyard like a monster tsunami against an unprotected shore. Unprotected by polycrystalline armour the metal superstructure of the slipways bowed, shattered, melted or flashed instantly into vapour as the onslaught washed over them.

Docked warships, despite the fact that they had armour, faired little better. Explosions from the disintegrating slipways travelled along the umbilical lines connecting the ships to the stations, providing them with a small amount of power and life support so caretaker worker crews wouldn't have to wear spacesuits whenever they came out to check on them. Now that convenience turned against the warships, ripping them apart from the inside out making ships explode one after another like a daisy chain of firecrackers. Debris flew outwards in all directions, smashing into other slipways and docked ships, triggering a barrage of additional explosions that spread the mayhem still further even as a sizeable chunk of the second line slips simply ceased to exist.

But the _Vesuvius_ wasn't finished.

Continuing to advance forward the dreadnought moved parallel to the rest of the second line slips in her immediate range, passing into the gap her forward weapons had blown in the line. Immediately every single one of her one hundred and fifty frigate-sized broadside mass accelerator cannons came to life along with lateral disruptor torpedo tubes, plasma cannons and pulse lasers, all the while the forward facing weapons continued firing this time at the section of the third and final line of slips directly ahead of her. Waves of devastation radiated outwards from the _Vesuvius_ as her immense firepower washed over the slipways and ships in her immediate vicinity, sweeping them away in an orgy of pure destruction that in minutes destroyed what had taken the Minbari decades and centuries to build.

After a few more minutes the onslaught ceased as the dreadnought pulled clear of the shattered lines of slips, leaving nothing but total devastation in her wake. Devastation that was rapidly being repeated across the whole length and breadth of the shipyard facilities as supported by the reserve fighters as well as the bombers the bulk of the fleet of Terran warships tore through the ranks of Minbari ships like a swarm of locusts tearing through a wheat field. They did about the same amount of damage as slipway after slipway and docked warship after docked warship shattered, exploded or disintegrated under the heavy, focused firepower.

All in all it took around ten minutes but in the end nothing remained of the slipways and the three thousand warships that had been docked with them beyond a spreading cloud of metallic and crystalline dust and torn metal fragments. With the last of the slipways eliminated the fleet regrouped with the _Vesuvius_, falling into a globe formation around the Minbari station, their bows and the muzzles of the axial main guns pointed right at the station.

* * *

**Combat Information Centre**

**TSV Vesuvius**

"All ships report that they have a target lock on the station and are ready to commence bombardment on your command ma'am," communications reported.

"Understood," Yvonne Turner answered. "Hail the station I want to talk to them. There has been enough bloodshed here today, lets see if we can end this peacefully."

"Aye aye ma'am."

"A noble goal and you are right, there has been enough death and destruction here this day," Telia Halos commented from where she'd observed the whole battle. It had been something of an eye opening experience for her and really brought it home to her how powerful the Terrans really were. It was no wonder that the Citadel Council was so accommodating towards them. The Terrans power made them a very valuable member of the galactic community with the potential to be a truly great force for peace. In fact she wouldn't be at all surprised if the Council wasn't already thinking of in the long term inviting the Terrans to become their forth member, they certainly had the economic, technological and military power to justify being given such a great honour.

"Lets hope the Minbari see it that way," Yvonne replied, "I would hate to have to give the order to storm the station and take it by force."

"Ma'am the Minbari station isn't acknowledging our attempts at contact," communications reported grimly.

Yvonne sighed. "Stubborn boneheads," she muttered before speaking louder. "Open a channel. They'll hear us even if they choose to ignore us."

"Open ma'am, you're on."

"Minbari space station this is Captain Yvonne Turner, commanding officer of the Terran Systems Alliance dreadnought _Vesuvius_ and leader of the forces surrounding your station," Yvonne said speaking loud enough for the directional microphones to easily pick up her words and transmit them to the station over all Minbari comm. frequencies. "Your defences are destroyed or disabled and reinforcements will not be able to reach you for sometime. Stand down and prepare to be boarded. If you do not resist you will not be harmed, fight and the blood of those on your station will be on your hands."

For a few moments nothing happened and Yvonne was about to open her mouth to give the order for marines to storm the station and take it by force when a holographic comm. screen blinked into existence in front of her eyes. An older looking Minbari male in practical – if alien – brown clothing scowled at her from the screen. He was clearly standing in the stations command centre as a number of other Minbari in similar brown clothing and two in the black tunics Minbari soldiers seemed to favour could be seen in the background manning consoles.

"Captain Turner I am Senroi, superintendent of the Na'vel Storage Yards and governor of this station," the Minbari said sounding deeply unhappy about having to speak to her. However beneath the anger both Yvonne and Telia could clearly hear fear, the Minbari was obviously terrified that his station was about to be blown to space dust like the rest of the shipyards had been.

"Governor Senroi," Yvonne acknowledged with a polite nod "are you prepared to surrender your station?"

"How do I know you will keep your word? You've already killed hundreds of my people here today."

"There has been enough death here today Governor Senroi," Yvonne replied, "if we're forced to take your station by force than a lot more of your people are going to die needlessly and pointlessly and some could end up being your worker caste colleagues. I don't want that, you don't want that. Surrender now and no more of your people need to die here today."

Senroi's scowl deepened. "If we surrender," he said after a moment of silence. "What will you with us? Take us back to your worlds? Make us slaves or prisoners?"

"Good heavens no, slavery is a crime against sentience and we do not in any way support it," Yvonne replied. "Nor do we have any real need to take you back with us as our prisoners. No you will be allowed to leave your station peacefully. The hyperspace storms we created will dissipate within another few hours opening the way for you to return to Minbar or any other Minbari world of your choice."

"You will simply let us go?" Senroi asked sounding surprised.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why not," Yvonne replied. "It serves no purpose taking you as prisoners, nor does killing you serve any real purpose beyond needless, mindless bloodshed. All I would ask is that you tell your leaders, the so called Grey Council, what happened here and that we both chose to spare your lives and let you go.

"So what is it to be Governor Senroi," she continued ignoring the stunned look on the Minbari's face at the mention of the Grey Council, "do you wish to surrender or do I give the order to board your station and take it by force?"

Senroi looked down for a few moments clearly thinking. "Very well," he said looking up, "for the good of the people I am responsible for I am prepared to surrender the station."

"I accept your surrender," Yvonne replied, "some marine units will be sent to board your station shortly. I assume you have transport ships that you can evacuate on?"

"Yes."

"Very well the marines will supervise you boarding the transports. When the come aboard you are to relinquish all weapons and control stations to them, if you do not resist then no harm will come to your people."

"I understand we will not resist."

"Thank you," Yvonne replied before making a cutting gesture at one of the comm. techs who immediately got the message and terminated the comm. link with the station.

"That went well," Telia commented.

"That it did and was nice to see that some Minbari can indeed have the common sense to know when they're beaten," Yvonne answered. "Communications instruct all ships to power down their weapons systems and close gun ports. Tactical tell the marine squads to launch and secure the station. They are also to assist the Minbari in evacuation."

"Aye aye ma'am."

* * *

**Bridge**

**Minbari War Frigate Tuzan'Shan**

**A Few Minutes Later**

"You did what?"

Sitting in his command chair in the centre of his battered, barely half functional bridge Alyt Tulann stared at the hologram of Governor Senroi standing in front of him in sheer disbelief. After his ship had been disabled and gutted to the point of uselessness by the barrage of mass accelerator fire from the Terran flagship he, his crew and the crews of the other two Tinashi under his command had watched in helpless, horrified rage as first the Nialls then centuries of work were annihilated by the Terran attackers.

When the Terran ships had surrounded Na'vel Station he'd expected them to fire upon and destroy it immediately, with their weapons especially those on the flagship, it wouldn't have taken them long to blow the station apart. Instead the Terran warships had inexplicable powered down their weapons systems and closed all their gun ports. Now he was learning the reason and he didn't know if he should be shocked, outraged or relieved that the Terrans weren't about to kill all the practically unarmed workers on the station.

"I surrendered the station," Senroi replied "the Terrans were threatening to board this station and take it by force. Tulann you know as well as I do that the few warriors there are onboard this station would not have a chance at repelling a full scale boarding assault. I would be sending them straight to their deaths and it would gain us nothing except perhaps making the enemy angry enough to simply destroy the station with everyone on board. I was not about to sacrifice them for the sake of my pride."

"Your right," Tulann acknowledged with a sigh. He knew Senroi was right, just as he'd known that this fight was a battle that the Minbari had always been destined to loose. The Terran assault had been simply too powerful to stop, their numbers to high for his few ships and the shipyards minimal defences to slow them down let alone stop them in their tracks.

"So what are you doing now?" he asked after a few moments of quiet thinking.

"We have begun preparations to evacuate the station," Senroi replied. "The first of the Terran transports containing their warriors will be landing shortly."

"Do nothing to provoke them, they're being far more merciful than I would have ever thought they could be," Tulann said. "Just do as they say and evacuate the station, and make sure the warriors know that the order not to resist comes directly from me."

Senroi nodded. "I will do, Alyt. How are things over there on the _Tuzan'Shan_, you took some major hits."

"Bad but it could be a lot worse. Half the crew are dead or wounded, we've lost all primary power and most of our primary systems are damaged beyond repair including all forward weapons arrays and propulsion," Tulann replied. "Even if we could get the gravitic reactor out of emergency shutdown it would do us no good. We're not going to be going anywhere in a hurry. The other two ships are in much the same situation as we are."

"Do you need assistance?"

"We're stable for now so no. Concentrate on evacuating the station Senroi. I'll order my ships evacuation when reinforcements arrive."

"I will do as you ask," Senroi replied. "Good luck Alyt."

"To us both governor to us both," Tulann answered before closing the communication down with a touch of the controls built into the arm rest of his command chair. As Senori's hologram dissipated into nothingness he leaned back in his chair and sighed softly. He couldn't help but feel torn over what had happened here today. On one hand his warriors pride was hurting and not at all enjoying the bitter, bitter taste of defeat but on the other he was relieved and surprised that the Terrans were allowing the workers to evacuate the station before they destroyed it and that they seemed to be ignoring his disabled ships. _Probably they know we're not a threat to them anymore,_ he thought with a mental sigh before turning his thoughts to the bigger picture and how his superiors and the Grey Council would react to this defeat and its frightening implications.

They were severe he knew it was after all the first time in nearly a thousand years that someone had successfully invaded Minbari space and caused such a massive amount of damage. It was sure to send a tidal wave of fear and possibly even panic across the whole Federation when the people realised just how vulnerable they all were to an attack from their current enemy as if the Terrans could strike this hard here, then it stood to reason to assume that they could strike anywhere in the Minbari Federation equally hard or even harder. The illusion of the safety and security of Minbari worlds had been obliterated as thoroughly as the mothballed ships had been. The people were sure to demand that new precautions be taken to protect them now that their weakness had been so decisively exposed.

One other thing was also certain and that was this battle, and the loss of such a large chunk of the fleet built up in preparation for the next Great War against the Shadows, was going to change the entire nature of the war between the Minbari and the Terrans. Whether that change was for good or ill and what it meant for the future he could not say.

He supposed only time would tell.

* * *

Authors Notes: Can't believe how much of a hassle this chapter was to write and how long it took but at long last its done. How the Minbari will react to what happened in this chapter well I won't be revealing that until the next chapter, which will hopefully also feature Londo and G'Kar and some interspecies politics (what fun lol).

Before anyone asks why the Minbari didn't detect the Terran ships coming it is a factor of the nebula, the ionised gasses that make it up jam Minbari long range scans, a weakness they're aware of but have never really addressed due in no small part to the belief that no one but themselves or the Vorlons could hope to navigate the nebula. Also yes the Red October is a nod to Tom Clancy as the Hunt for Red October is one of my favourite reads.


	12. Chapter 11

_**Chapter Eleven**_

**VIP Quarters**

**Asari Dreadnought Resplendent Justice**

**A Few Hours Later**

Matriarch Benezia T'Soni listened intently as the life sized holographic projection of Spectre Telia Halos gave a full account of the battle between the ships of the _Vesuvius_ battle group and the massively outnumbered Minbari that had attempted to defend what by all accounts was one of their largest fleet storage facilities. As she'd expected the battle had been short and very one sided after all three Minbari battlecruisers, their fighters and a handful of relatively lightly armoured defence satellites had never truly had a chance of delaying let alone stopping the assault.

That being said the battle had revealed some very intriguing surprises especially the devastating effect the dark energy warheads of disruptor torpedoes had on hyperspace. An effect that had been completely unknown to the Council races until a few hours ago – though the very fact that they'd used the tactic and Captain Turners words to the Spectre before the torpedoes were fired indicated that the Terrans had been aware of it for a considerable period of time and had used it to their advantage when they'd attacked the Dilgar to end that races invasion of the League. It made Benezia wonder what other technologies or knowledge of mass effect physics the Terrans had that they hadn't told the Citadel about. What else could they have learned from the Prothean facility they'd found on the forth planet of their home system that they hadn't shared with the Council.

_Not that my people can really say anything about hiding technology and knowledge from the other races,_ she thought remembering what was hidden inside the Temple of Athame back on Thessia. A secret known only to the Council of Matriarchs - which naturally included Councillor Tevos - select scientists and the most senior members of the High Command; a secret that had made the Asari the powerful race they were today and even now continued to guide their technological development most recently in the development of the weapons systems of the _Resplendent Justice_.

Mentally she shook off those thoughts and to continue paying attention to the Spectre's report. She was pleased to learn that the Terrans hadn't destroyed the Minbari battlecruisers after they'd disabled them and that the Terrans were allowing the Minbari on the shipyard's supervisor station to evacuate. Most races in her experience would not be so generous.

"How is the evacuation proceeding, Spectre," she asked.

"Very smoothly," Telia replied. "The Minbari are being extremely efficient about it and the station will be completely evacuated of all Minbari personnel within another thirty minutes. I have noticed that the Terrans have sent a large group of engineers and systems specialists over to the station with additional marine units as an escort. I believe they are probably mining the stations data banks for information before they destroy it."

"Admiral Hague did indicate in my meeting with him that they would do that," Benezia replied recalling the conversation she'd had with Admiral William Hague about the mission to attack Na'vel. While it was true the Terrans had gathered a great deal of information on the Minbari already that data came from the memory banks of captured warships like the _Dark Lance_ and the _Black Star _and thus was mostly of a military nature. While it had given the Terrans the information they'd needed to attack the Na'vel Yards it didn't give them what they really wanted, information on the Minbari Federation in general and in particular a map of their shipping lanes and beacon transfer points. Having that information would allow them to launch a full scale commerce raiding campaign as well as surgical strikes of facilities like quantium forty mining stations bringing the Minbari economy to its knees, allowing them to force a peace out of the arrogant aliens if her negotiations failed to bare any fruit.

She quickly but concisely explained as much to the female Turian. "An interesting strategy," Telia replied when she was finished, "potentially very effective as well. Though while we are on the subject of the war I have a question? It relates to our mission to find away to end this war before it gets any worse."

"Oh? What is it Spectre?"

"Why did you allow this attack to take place," Telia asked. "Surely allowing the Terrans to launch such a raid is contrary to the Council's desire for a peaceful resolution to this issue."

"It was necessary," Benezia answered, she'd honestly expected that she would be asked this very question at some point, ever since she'd allowed the Terrans to mount their strike. "The Salarian STG has done a psychological analysis of the Minbari species and come to the conclusion that the Minbari have a very deep seated belief that they are invincible and that their space is impervious to attack from anyone other than the First Ones."

"And this attack very effectively shatters that illusion."

"Precisely the Minbari will now know that their territory is as vulnerable to attack as any other species," Benezia answered. "That will make them cautious. We know from captured data that the Minbari have gathered a large fleet with which to invade Terran space. This attack will force them to redeploy some if not all of that fleet to defensive positions around their worlds and the other shipyard facilities considerably weakening their available offensive forces. It gives us an opening that we can use to convince them that a peaceful resolution is far more preferable to facing armed invasions of their worlds. That is why I allowed the attack to proceed as planned."

"I understand," Telia replied with a nod.

"Has Captain Turner given you any indication of when the Terran fleet will be ready to return to base?"

"Not at this time matriarch, however from what I am told the effects of the disruptor torpedoes on hyperspace will dissipate sufficiently for any Minbari reinforcements to navigate hyperspace around the system within another two to three hours," Telia replied. "I believe Captain Turner plans for the fleet to leave before that time."

"Very well contact me again when you're ready to depart. We will be departing for the Minbari border within an hour. We will provide rendezvous coordinates at that time," Benezia instructed.

Telia nodded in acceptance. "As you wish," she replied before obviously pressing a control on a console that Benezia couldn't see as the Turians hologram momentarily rippled with rainbow colour before fading into nothingness as the comm. link with the _Vesuvius _was broken.

Benezia leaned back in her seat and considered the report that had just been presented to her. In particular the fact that the Terrans were allowing the Minbari civilians on the supervisory station to evacuate to unarmed transport vessels. She was well aware of the fact that the Minbari considered the Terrans to be barbarians for killing their leader – even though it had been an accident and Captain Jankowski had ceased firing on their ships as soon as he'd realised his mistake when he could have easily kept firing and destroyed both dreadnoughts and been gone long before their reinforcements had jumped out of hyperspace.

The evacuation gave her grounds to prove to the Minbari leadership that their enemy was not the murderous barbarians they believed them to be. Especially as she could contrast it with the Minbari's own tactics and actions, in particular their habit of targeting and destroying helpless craft like escape pods and civilian transports, brutally massacring any survivors or witnesses to their attacks. Tactics that had sent a ripple of shock and horror across much of the civilised galaxy and brought forth a tidal wave of condemnation, and started many whispers that the Citadel should military aide the Alliance against the Minbari, whispers that would only grow louder the longer this war dragged on, eventually reaching a crescendo that the Council would have no choice but to act upon.

"Mistress," a familiar voice said breaking Benezia out of her thoughts and prompting her to look up to see Shiala standing nearby.

"Yes Shiala?"

"Forgive me for disturbing you but Commander Teylena wishes to see you in the CIC," the commando answered.

"Then we should not keep her waiting," Benezia replied getting back to her feet and leaving the room, Shiala falling into step just behind her ready to protect her should anyone try to harm her. Not that that was likely to happen here in the safe and secure surroundings of the _Resplendent Justice_ still the protocol had to be followed and truth be told it pleased Benezia that her followers were always so concerned for her safety. She would likely need such vigilance when she eventually met with the Minbari leadership.

Pushing those thoughts from her mind Benezia considered why the fellow matriarch who commanded this ship had asked to see her. They had yet to leave Beta Durani and thus it wasn't likely to have anything to do with some external threat to the _Resplendent Justice_ or the frigates assigned to escort her. After a moment of thinking about it she mentally shrugged, whatever the reason she would know soon enough.

* * *

It took only a few minutes for Benezia to travel between the VIP quarters she'd been provided and the command centre of the _Resplendent Justice_, a facility that in a kinship with Terran warships was located deep within the armoured core of the vessel, where it would be safe from all but a mortal blow. Unlike the rest of the Ascension-class dreadnought which was brightly lit increasing the feeling of space on the already gigantic warship the CIC was dark – the illumination reduced so the crew could better focus on their holographic displays.

In another commonality with Terran warships the CIC was a circular room with two different levels. Crew members stood at an outer ring of stations mounted in between raised illumination panels that curved up towards a large round light in the centre of the ceiling. The larger lower level of the split was taken up by the main situation table at which more crew sat operating consoles. Standing at the head of the situation table Commander Teylena stood, her figure slightly more trim than Benezia's own while clearly still matriarchal, a testament to the nine centuries Teylena had spent as first a commando and now a ship mistress.

"You asked to see me commander," Benezia asked as she stepped down to join her fellow matriarch.

"Yes," Teylena replied giving her a nod in greeting which Benezia returned. "We were just completing our departure preparations when our sensors detected a new contact dropping out of translight flight at the edge of the system. Follow up scans revealed the contact to be three ships flying in close formation."

"More Terran warships coming to join the assault fleet," Benezia asked.

"No," Teylena replied before pressing a control in front of her. Immediately the central holographic display came to life drawing in images of ships that Benezia had only seen in person a few times in the last few centuries.

Each ship was shaped vaguely like a wheel stood on end, bisected by a small ring connected to a long tapering tail that mounted the ships engines and some of its weapons systems. Though the metal of the hulls was tarnished by the constant exposure to cosmic radiation, micrometeorites and space dust all three ships were well maintained and cared for, which was understandable considering they were the only home their makers and occupants had had for nearly four hundred years.

The ships were Quarian.

"Quarians what are they doing here," Benezia wondered aloud.

"I don't know," Teylena replied. "We've identified their transponders as the Migrant Fleet vessels _Neema, Alerai _and _Suwelen. _Our records indicate that the _Alerai _and _Suwelen_ are research vessels while the _Neema_ is a heavy cruiser and serves as the flagship of Admiral Han'Gerral.

"As soon as they arrived a group of Terran warships moved out to meet up with them. They're now being escorted towards the starbase. From the lack of alarm among the Terran fleet I believe that all three vessels were expected."

"They may well have been," Benezia replied, "it is well known after all that the Terrans have a better relationship with the Migrant Fleet and the Quarian people in general than any other species in Citadel Space. They've even been known to gift the Quarians entire ships on occasion as well as resources and equipment. With the Terrans at war with the Minbari it is no real surprise that the Quarians would come to help their only real ally."

"You think they plan to join the fleet?" Teylena asked. "Wouldn't that be extremely risky for the Quarians? Their population base is very low, second only to that of the Drell; they can ill afford to take any heavy losses from combat especially combat against a race as powerful as the Minbari."

"I doubt they are here to join the fleet," Benezia answered, "it's likely they are here to help in another capacity. And it is time we learned exactly what that was, hail the _Neema_ please commander."

Teylena nodded and made a hand gesture to one of the crew who immediately hailed the lead Quarian vessel. For a few moments nothing happened then a holographic screen blinked into existence in front of Benezia showing the helmet covered face of a Quarian. The Quarian spoke immediately in the powerful voice of a male of the species, though naturally the voice had the familiar odd resonance to it created by the voice module of the environmental suit the being was wearing.

"This is Admiral Han'Gerral vas _Neema_," the Quarian said gruffly, "what do you want Asari?"

"Admiral Gerral," Benezia began. "I am Matriarch Benezia head of the Council's diplomatic mission to the Minbari."

Gerral snorted. "I wish you luck with that," he said. "From everything we have heard about them the Minbari are not the most rational of species."

"Thank you."

"What do you want from me Benezia," the Quarian asked, Benezia ignored the slight snub caused by the admiral not using her title in addressing her. The Quarians had never forgiven her people for refusing to aide them reclaim their worlds after the Geth Uprising forced them to flee Rannoch and the few colonies the then Quarian Commonwealth had claimed. After nearly four centuries that anger had become an almost institutionalised dislike for her kind and the other species with Council seats, especially those like her who were in positions of power.

"I would like to know why you're here admiral," Benezia replied, "our last reports place the Migrant Fleet near the Exodus Cluster in the Attican Traverse."

"Not that it is your concern but as you know the Terran race has long been a friend of my people. How could we not aide them now in an hour of need," Gerral answered.

"I am afraid it is my concern, admiral. I am here after all to find a peaceful resolution to this unfortunate war."

"As I said I wish you the best of luck with that," Gerral answered, "the sooner this war ends the better for all concerned. Very well I will give you this bit of information we have developed an improved targeting VI for use on Terran warships. Once added to the tactical array every Terran warship will be able to target and fire upon a Minbari warship with one hundred percent accuracy as opposed to the current sixty percent accuracy rate."

Benezia blinked for a moment at that information. She was of course aware that only six out of every ten shots from a Terran warship struck its Minbari equivalent as the sensors were partially refracted or jammed by the Minbari's stealth systems. Anything that improved that ratio would only tip the balance of the war into the Terran's favour, which made it all the more important for this war to end sooner rather than later. Still she was somewhat startled that the Quarians had come up with something like that given the limited technology and resource base they had to work from. After a moment though she mentally kicked herself for being surprised, the Quarians had always had a knack for programming and technology. There creation of the Geth was evidence enough of their skills in those areas, skills they hadn't lost in their long exile from Rannoch.

"I see," she replied at last. "I am sure they will greatly appreciate your assistance. Thank you for answering my question admiral. Now if you'll excuse me I must break off this discussion. My mission to contact the Minbari has been delayed long enough it is time to 'get going' as our Terran friends would say."

"I understand. On behalf of the Quarian people I once again wish you good luck in your endeavour matriarch, keelah se'lai," Gerral answered before breaking the communications link from his end.

"Commander I believe it is time we resumed our original mission," Benezia said as the holographic screen disappeared with all the fuss of burst soap bubble, "please take this ship to the Minbari border."

"As you wish," Teylena replied politely before turning to her crew, "communications contact the starbase and request permission to depart. Navigation plot a course to the Minbari border."

"Yes commander," came the replies from two of the stations.

"If you'll excuse me commander I would like to return to my chambers to meditate," Benezia said.

"Of course," Teylena replied with a polite nod, which Benezia returned before turning and leaving the CIC. Teylena watched her fellow matriarch – accompanied as ever by one of her commando bodyguards/followers – leave the CIC before turning her attention to the task at hand. The task of taking the _Resplendent Justice_ and her escorting frigates to the Minbari border where they would goddess willing put an end to the war between the Terrans and the Minbari.

"Commander, system traffic control has acknowledged our departure request," communications reported. "They are providing us with an outbound vector to follow they also say 'good luck and god speed'."

"Acknowledge the vector and transfer to navigation," Teylena ordered, "navigation as soon as we're clear of the fleet and shipping lanes make the jump to translight flight."

"Yes commander."

* * *

**Bridge**

**Quarian Migrant Fleet Vessel Neema**

Sitting in his command chair at the back of the bridge Admiral Han'Gerral watched with concealed envy as the mighty Asari dreadnought and the frigates escorting her began making there way clear of the fleet of warships, shuttles and transports that surrounded the Terran starbase. _If only we had a few ships like that amongst the fleet,_ he thought watching the _Resplendent Justice_ move with a grace that seemed utterly effortless _with them we would have surely reclaimed our homeworld from the Geth long ago._

"You didn't tell her about the deal the Admiralty Board and Conclave made with the Terrans when we agreed to make this VI software for them," the familiar voice of his old friend Admiral Rael'Zorah said from beside him. Han glanced over at his old friend standing in the shadows of the bridge.

"She did not need to know," he replied, "by telling her about the VI I told her enough to deflect suspicion from our real purpose here."

Rael nodded in understanding. "If the Council knew they would certainly move to stop us," he said, "they have after all gone out of there way to make sure we continue to wander the stars as a living example of what happens when someone breaks their almighty rules."

"Indeed my friend," Han replied, "though even with this agreement we're still quite away from being ready to retake Rannoch from the Geth."

"I know though we're getting closer, I just hope we can do it in our lifetimes. I haven't forgotten the promise I made to Tali when she was born."

"That you would build her a house on the homeworld one day a worthy goal," Han said with a nod and a smile – though naturally it was hidden by the opaque faceplate of his helmet. "We'll honour that promise Rael you need not worry."

"Admiral, station control has just transmitted docking instructions," one of the bridge crew reported, "all our ships are to dock in bays D22 to D25."

"Very well," Han replied noticing idly the sensor screens which showed _Resplendent Justice_ and her escort vanishing into translight flight, "relay the instructions to the _Alerai _and _Suwelen _then take us into dock."

"Yes sir."

* * *

**Combat Information Centre**

**TSV Vesuvius**

**Na'vel System, Eye of Orion Nebula**

**A Short Time Later**

"Captain our engineering teams onboard the Minbari space station report that the last of the Minbari firewalls have been cracked and that they have gained full access to the database," a communications officer reported, "they have begun the download."

"Excellent," Captain Yvonne Turner replied with a smile before taking a sip from the steaming mug of coffee she was holding in her left hand, "how long until the download is completed?"

"There are nearly twelve hundred zettabytes of information stored in the Minbari stations computers," the officer answered, "the engineers estimate that they'll have it all transferred into their data crystals within five minutes. They will then be able to return to the ship."

"Good. Are the demo teams in position to destroy the station?"

"They are just finishing up setting up the nuke ma'am. Once everyone's off the station we'll be able to detonate the device by remote, the team is also setting up a backup detonator on a timer just in case."

"Understood," Yvonne replied calmly before turning her attention to the Turian Spectre who'd returned to the CIC after speaking privately with Matriarch Benezia in one of the comm. rooms just outside the room. She understood why as the Spectre was here after all as an observer, Benezia and the Council's eyes and ears during this mission. "What," she asked seeing the way the female Turian was looking at her.

"You're using a nuclear device to destroy the base," Telia asked.

"A thirty kiloton demo nuke yes, based on our analysis of Minbari construction methods and materials it will be more than sufficient to destroy the station," Yvonne replied, "the device is being placed near the fuel storage cells for the station's fusion reactors which will amplify the blast."

"I thought the Minbari used artificial quantum singularities as a power source."

"That is their main power source but as advanced and capable an energy source as it is the gravitic reactors don't provide all the necessary power the Minbari need to run their technology. Particularly their artificial gravity systems as like all non-eezo based systems they're serious power hogs," Yvonne explained, "so they use a network of fusion reactors to make up the difference."

"I see," Telia replied nodding. "I'm just a little surprised that you're not going to use the _Vesuvius'_ weapons systems to destroy the station. This ship has more than enough firepower to reduce the Minbari station to scrap metal."

"It's tempting," Yvonne admitted as it really was tempting to hammer the station apart with plasma bolts and mass accelerator rounds, but she had her orders. "But it would be a waste of ammo and power to do so, using a single nuke planted in a strategic location is a far more efficient use of our resources."

Telia nodded in understanding and started to open her mouth to speak again. However before any sound could emerge alarms began to sound throughout the _Vesuvius_ and the whole task force. Yvonne whirled around to look at one of the sensor stations.

"Report," she ordered.

"Captain long range sensors are picking up multiple jump points opening eighty thousand kilometres out from our current location," the officer answered. "Multiple Minbari capital ships emerging tally eighteen dreadnoughts. They're launching fighters and are advancing upon our position. We'll be in the fighter's weapon range in four and a half minutes, capital ship weapons range four minutes after that."

"I thought the Minbari wouldn't be able to access this system for a least another hour," Telia commented with her species equivalent of a concerned frown on her face. While they still outnumbered the incoming Minbari forces two to one eighteen Minbari dreadnoughts easily gave the arrogant aliens a massive advantage in the raw firepower department, advantage enough to destroy most of the task force – though the Minbari would pay a heavy price in blood for such a victory.

"That's what our intelligence analysts believed," Yvonne replied. "Though the fact that they've returned to normal space so far out from us shows they weren't entirely incorrect in their assessment; still it's obvious that ANI has underestimated the sophistication of Minbari sensors and hyperspatial navigation systems."

"Such are the fortunes of war," the Turian said.

"Indeed," Yvonne agreed before turning to the rest of the crew. "Communications contact the engineers, demo and security teams on the station tell them that there time is up. They need to return to their shuttles and get back here immediately. Tactical instruct fighter groups two through five along with frigate squadrons one and two to move to intercept the Minbari fighters. All other ships assume tactical formation delta one and prepare to commence long range bombardment of the Minbari fleet."

"Aye aye ma'am" came the response from several officers around the CIC.

"With their ECM systems we won't have much chance of hitting them at this range," Telia pointed out as the crew around them burst into activity as the dreadnought once again began to make ready to engage the enemy.

"True," Yvonne replied as the ship began to manoeuvre to bring her main cannons to bare on the approaching Minbari warships, "but any hits we score should make their commander cautious, force them to slow down so they can manoeuvre better. After all we only need to buy enough time for the teams to return then we can destroy the station and leave here."

Telia nodded in understanding before they both turned their attention to the tactical hologram hovering over the main situation table. The approaching fleet of Minbari warships was represented by a mass of red chevrons indicating active enemy capital ships while driving ahead of them like a swarm of extremely angry ants was a dense red mass of dots that indicated the Minbari fighter squadrons. A far smaller group of paler red chevrons off to one side represented the three battlecruisers disabled in the earlier battle as well as all the evacuation transports launched from the Minbari station.

Moving out to meet the mass of Minbari fighters was a far smaller mass of pale blue dots representing the fighter groups assigned the interception duty, with eight blue chevrons representing the frigates that had also been assigned to hold off the enemy. The rest of the blue chevrons representing the task forces capital ships were forming up into two parallel lines facing the approaching capital ships – the dots of their fighters moving into a combat space patrol around them, ready to intercept any Minbari fighters that made it past the interception forces.

"Captain all ships report ready to engage the enemy," a communications officer reported. "The engineering, security and demo teams on the station are retreating to their shuttles as ordered but they need another few minutes to leave the station and return to our ships."

"Then that's give them that time," Yvonne replied straightening her shoulders. "All ships open fire."

* * *

**Tactical Centre**

**Minbari War Cruiser Trigati**

**A Few Minutes Earlier**

Shai Alyt Sineval couldn't stop the gasp of shock and disbelief that emerged from his lips as the _Trigati_ and seventeen other cruisers made a rough transition back into normal space from a still tortured hyperspace that had bounced ships and crew around as they fought through the fading remains of a monster hyperspace storm to reach the besieged Na'vel Yards. When he'd first heard that the shipyards were under heavy attack from Terran forces he had been more than a little incredulous. While he would not deny the fact that the Terrans were proving themselves to be a very capable and formidable enemy the thought that they had the ability to hit a target so far inside Minbari space without any advanced warning had been absurd and very hard to believe.

He believed now.

Tens of thousands of kilometres ahead of the fleet – they hadn't been able to jump in any closer to the shipyard due to the dying but still ferocious hyperspace storm that would have shredded them if they'd tried – the Na'vel Yards were just gone. Where there had once been great ranks of docked warships there was now nothing but a steadily spreading cloud of irradiated metallic and crystalline dust. Centuries of work had been completely and utterly obliterated in mere hours. Nearby – floating helplessly amidst the dust – were the badly battered and battle scarred remains of the three Tinashi-class war frigates that had been assigned to the shipyards defence.

All three frigates looked like they'd run at high speed into asteroids, their bows and forward sections torn, ripped and completely gutted. All of being damage he had seen an uncomfortable number of times since this war had begun and he knew that was just the tip of an iceberg, the internal damage to the ships would be far worse. Yet amazingly the three ships still had some lights on, there was still at least some power to the vessels, power that would keep any survivors onboard alive, even though the ships were clearly dead in space. Strangely hanging in formation with them was what looked like every cargo ship, transport and flyer that had been on the supervisory station – which itself seemed intact but abandoned. Abandoned that was for the fleet of thirty-six Terran warships hanging in formation around it. No doubt they'd sent warriors over to the station and taken it, forcing the workers onboard to flee for their lives. Something he couldn't fault the worker caste crew for doing, they weren't warriors and trying to oppose enemy boarding parties themselves would only result in them getting themselves killed.

The sight of the Terran fleet filled him with a familiar fury. These were after all the beings that had not only taken Dukhat away from the Minbari before his time, but who had killed or taken prisoner tens of thousands of his fellow warriors who'd attempted to avenge their leader's murder. A part of him couldn't help but wonder how much more Minbari blood had they spilt here today. The fact that they were still here, obviously up to something on the station, gave him a chance to exact at least some measure of vengeance not just for Dukhat but for all his brothers and sisters who'd died in this war.

"Shai Alyt Sineval to all ships," he ordered raising his voice slightly so the intercom would pick up his words and relay them not just to the _Trigati's_ bridge but to the entire fleet, "launch all fighters and advance upon the enemy at flank speed, open fire as soon as we're within firing range."

The response to his orders was immediate as squadrons of Niall's began launching from the noses of all the Sharlin's visible on the holographic field. The cruisers themselves also noticeably increased speed as they advanced towards the enemy forces, forces which were already beginning to react to their appearance if the movements in the distant fleet were anything to go by.

Holding up a hand Sineval made a section of the holographic display zoom in on the Terran fleet. To see a sizeable contingent of fighters and eight of the smallest capital ships – the ones that time and time again had proven themselves to be spectacularly lethal fighter killers – were breaking off from the fleet and moving to intercept the Nialls. The rest of the fleet was also moving, beginning to assemble itself into two parallel lines their bows and the muzzles of the mass accelerator weapons mounted there pointing right at his Sharlin's.

Sineval grimaced at the sight knowing precisely what his Terran opposite number was planning to do. The Terran fleet commander was undoubtedly aware of the fact that he or she had a massive range advantage over the Minbari. The Terrans had exploited it often enough in battle in the last few months, inflicting heavy damage on Minbari forces every time they engaged each other in battle. Fortunately he had been drilling the crews of his battle squadron in a form of evasive manoeuvres that would hopefully prevent – or at very least – reduce the amount of mass accelerator rounds hitting his ships, at least at range.

He just had to wait for his opponent to make the first move.

A move that came a moment later as the muzzles of multiple mass accelerator cannons flickered with electromagnetic energy a millisecond before a barrage of solid metal slugs was hurled into space. The dense metal slugs glowing with friction as interplanetary gasses as well as the dust from the destroyed shipyards was annihilated against the projectiles, encasing them in small plasma sheaths as they streaked across space towards his fleet.

"Shai Alyt Sineval to all ships, initiate evasive manoeuvre Sineval-One," he ordered bracing himself.

The response to his order was immediate. With a sharp surge of g-forces that the inertial dampening systems weren't completely able to cancel out, all eighteen of his ships swerved sharply to port while keeping their main drives running at full capacity. In moments they were out of the path of the purely ballistic Terran weapons and the swarm of hypervelocity metal flew right through where they had been in a clean miss.

With the salvo successfully evaded Sineval allowed himself a small smirk as the _Trigati_ and the rest of the fleet resumed moving towards the enemy again. The smirk faded when a dozen small explosions appeared in space as the Niall squadrons began clashing with their Terran counterparts. Several Nialls were destroyed immediately, swatted from the sky by both laser pulses from the fighters and small calibre plasma bolts from the deceptively small Terran capital ships supporting them. A handful of enemy fighters vanished in fireballs as neutron cannon fire from the Nialls ripped through their shielding to destroy them but the exchange was far from equal. An inequality that only grew worse as a full dozen Niall's vanished in a hail of highly accurate plasma and laser fire from the gunship-sized capital ships.

"_Enfali, Negato_ break off and move to assist the Niall's against those Terran gunships," he ordered. The response was immediate as the two indicated Sharlin's reduced speed and immediately before altering course to engage the gunships, which were steadily tearing the heart out of entire squadrons of Nialls while seemingly ignoring the insect bites of the Niall's own firepower. _I must really have a word with the worker caste elders next time I'm on Minbar,_ he thought, _see if there is anything we can do to boost the firepower of our fighters. Those small gunships are definitely designed as fighter-killers and they're infuriating good at it. We need to find away to counter them and fast._

The enemy however wasn't having everything their own way. Dozens of explosions erupted in their ranks as enemy fighters were shot down, each disintegrating in a violent but short-lived fireball as their engine fuel and weapons detonated. The Niall pilots were at least making the enemy bleed, even as they worked hard to keep up with the enemy fighters which were considerably faster than a Niall, though it was comforting to know that the Niall had the advantage in both firepower – its tri-neutron cannons were a lot more powerful than the dual pulsed lasers the Terran's seemed to favour - and agility.

Sineval's attention was abruptly drawn away from the fighter battle when a deep rumbling boom echoed through the hull and the _Trigati_ shuddered violently under enemy fire, knocking him off his feet. Cursing softly as he picked himself back up he realised he'd made an elementary mistake and focused on the fighter battle to long as opposed to the wider battlefield. A mistake he would have chewed a junior warrior out about doing. _I've gotten so used to having Durann in here with me to help keep an eye on the progress of a battle,_ he thought thinking of the younger warrior. Unfortunately Durann was back on Minbar at the moment with her clan, preparing for the funeral of one of their highest ranking members who'd been mortally wounded in battle a week ago.

Turning his attention to the wider battle Sineval scowled as he saw one of his ships fall out of formation trailing debris and venting atmosphere from multiple breaches in its hull where several mass accelerator rounds had struck home. Strangely the Terran ships hadn't fired another salvo of mass accelerators to inflict yet more damage to his ships while they were still far out of range of any retaliatory fire.

A moment later he saw why.

A dozen boxy shuttles were leaving the supervisory station and hurrying to dock with the three largest Terran ships. The enemy fighters were also veering off, heading back towards their motherships, with the gunships providing covering fire even as they too started to retreat. Clearly the enemy had finished whatever they were doing on the station and were now preparing to leave, escaping righteous Minbari vengeance.

Sineval seethed at the injustice of it but was well aware that he could do nothing to stop them leaving. His ships were still minutes from even extreme weapons range let alone optimum firing distance. He could only watch as the Terran shuttles fighters landed aboard their motherships. Then the entire Terran fleet turned away and began to rapidly accelerate away from the Minbari fleet. A familiar blue glow began to appear around them and Sineval knew that in moments at most the entire fleet would disappear using whatever system it was they used to travel faster than light without leaving normal space.

And he could do nothing to stop them.

Abruptly a brilliant flash of white light filled the holographic display forcing him to raise an arm to protect his eyes from the glare. Slowly the glare faded and he lowered his arm and noticed that the Terran fleet had vanished…

…and it wasn't alone in that regard.

Where the space station had been there was now nothing but a massive, spreading and cooling cloud of radiant plasma and torn metallic fragments. Clearly the Terrans had either sabotaged the stations power plant before they left or had planted some kind of nuclear explosive device onboard. Either of which had only one purpose, to finish off the complete and total annihilation of the Na'vel Yards.

"Shai Alyt Sineval to all ships," he ordered after a moment of silence, "stand down from battle stations and move to assist the disabled Tinashi's and the worker caste transports."

"Bridge to Shai Alyt Sineval, sir we're receiving a message from the _Enfali_ they report that they've found a single Terran fighter drifting at the edge of the fighter battlefield," his second in command Alyt Kalain reported over the internal comm. "The fighter appears to have taken a glancing blow from a Niall's cannons, its disabled but life signs indicate that the pilot is alive but unconscious."

Sineval blinked in surprise. "Interesting," he said fighting down the impulse to order the fighter destroyed. He had a better idea, "have the _Enfali_ take the fighter aboard and place the pilot in a holding cell until our superiors decide what to do with him. Then contact the _Valen'tha_ I need to speak with the Grey Council."

"Yes Shai Alyt," Kalain acknowledged before signing off.

_Very interesting maybe the universe has finally decided to give us a break,_ Sineval thought to himself as he mulled over what he'd just been told. A Terran fighter damaged but largely intact would surely enable the worker caste to divine at least some answers on how Terran technology worked. The pilot might also be potentially very useful once he or she had been thoroughly interrogated – though Sineval didn't doubt that the Grey Council would probably want to do the interrogation themselves. Satai Delenn especially would no doubt like to see into the face of one of the species who'd killed her mentor and deprived the Minbari of their greatest leader in generations.

Sineval couldn't help but smile as he suddenly thought about what they could potentially learn about their enemies from the prisoner and the fighter. After all Valen himself had said that to truly defeat an enemy you first had to understand them, and that understanding was something the Minbari currently lacked in regards to the Terrans. _We may have suffered a major defeat here this day,_ he thought, _but maybe just maybe this fighter and pilot will be able to turn the tides of this war firmly into our favour. Time alone will tell…_

…_it always does._

* * *

Authors Notes: Whoa I can't believe that this story is a year old now. It still feels somewhat like I just started it the other day, hard to believe it was a year ago that the Babylon Effect first came into being.

I know people were hoping to see some Narn and Centauri interaction Londo and G'Kar but that scene is still refusing to cooperate so I just went on with the war.


	13. Chapter 12

_**Chapter Twelve**_

**Minbari War Cruiser Takari**

**In Hyperspace**

The soft chiming of the door hailer roused Branmer out of the deep meditation he had allowed himself to descend into. Opening his eyes the priest turned senior warrior caste commander looked over at the entrance to his spacious but at the same time very spartan quarters – having been a member of the religious caste for much of his life he cared little of some of the martial mementoes and status symbols that other senior warriors like that idiot Shakiri preferred. It both helped him focus on the tasks ahead of him and feel more connected to his own distant ancestor who'd faithfully followed Valen in the war against the great darkness a thousand years ago.

"Enter," he called in response to the soft sounding chimes. The door to his chambers opened and his aide Alyt Neroon stepped into the room. "Yes Neroon?"

"Forgive me for disturbing your meditation Shai Alyt but we've crossed into the Jericho System," Neroon replied.

"Very well," Branmer answered getting back to his feet and starting to lead the way out of his chambers into the corridors that at this time were bustling with activity as the crew prepared the Shagotti-class war cruiser for the upcoming battle. There was an added urgency to the preparations for battle these days as well as a real undercurrent of caution in the increasing deployment of damage control crews and security parties to key points throughout the vessel. It was a major departure from the calm confidence that would have resonated through the corridors in the past, a subtle acknowledgement from the crew that they would soon be engaging in a real battle against someone perfectly capable of blowing the ship out from under them and not a live fire exercise against a weaker opponent.

Branmer approved of the changed atmosphere, a change brought on by the sobering casualties the Minbari had taken in the war to date. The reality that they faced a foe who'd earned at very least their respect would hopefully keep his crew from making mistakes which would make the difference between victory and death in the coming battle. And thinking of the coming battle prompted him to ask, "Neroon have the Anla'shok scouts been able to provide anymore information on the strength of the enemy forces present in this system?"

Neroon nodded a grim look appearing on his face. "They have Shai Alyt, at the last count the enemy fleet presence in this system has now risen to a total of one hundred and sixty-five capital warships and nearly fifteen hundred fighters," he replied a note of admiration in his voice for the rangers who'd risked life and limb in small, outdated scoutships to acquire this information knowing that discovery by the Terrans would earn them a swift death by mass accelerator round or plasma bolt if they were lucky or capture and likely brutal interrogation if they weren't.

Before the war had begun he – like most other warriors – had considered the Anla'shok to be an anachronism, a throwback to the desperate days of the war against the darkness a thousand years ago, one that had become a taint on the pride of the warrior caste that was long past due to be wiped away. But as the war had revealed itself to be a far harder challenge against a far more powerful and dangerous adversary than had ever been anticipated his views on the rangers had changed. He had come to see that the role Valen himself had created them for was still as relevant now as it had been a thousand years ago. He had already promised himself that once this war was over – and assuming he survived which was not guaranteed given how powerful the enemy was – he would do everything in his power to ensure the rangers got better funding, fresh manpower and more up to date equipment.

"Impressive," Branmer said bringing Neroon out of his thoughts. "It appears the enemy is presenting us with quite a formidable challenge. Not that I would have expected anything less of them."

"Indeed Shai Alyt."

"What about fixed defences?"

"The latest reports indicate that the enemy have replaced, repaired and upgraded the orbital defence network surrounding New Hibernia. Two new types of satellites have been added to the reinforced network of the laser defence platforms encountered by the _Honour's Blade_. One of the two is considerably larger than the normal laser satellites though its armaments are at this time unknown. The other is small and appears to be unarmed – however the Anla'shok have noticed that it appears be broadcasting a vortex frequency jamming field that extends thirty-seven thousand kilometres out from planetary orbit, the field appears to be of the correct modulation to disrupt our jump engines. We will not be able to jump out of or into hyperspace while within the boundary of the field."

Branmer blinked in surprise knowing that a vortex frequency jamming field was a very complex piece of technology, requiring considerable knowledge of tachyon physics as well as jump engine technology and design to function correctly. The fact that the Terrans had one was extremely surprising, especially given all the reports that they rarely if every used hyperspace – though as the attack on Na'vel yesterday had shown they did indeed possess the technology to access hyperspace and manipulate it in ways never seen before, ways that could whip the volatile faster than light space into a gravitational maelstrom that even the Vorlons would think at least twice about attempting to cross.

"Curious," he commented with a frown "how does a species that by all accounts doesn't like to use hyperspace develop such a complex piece of technology?"

"The preliminary analysis carried out by the worker caste scientists indicate that the base technology being used in the field isn't Terran," Neroon replied, "the scans indicate that the field has a ninety eight percent probability of being Dilgar in origin it is therefore very likely the Terrans acquired the technology from them after they defeated them. They have obviously since learned how to adjust it and found the right frequency band to use to disrupt our jump engines. Something I'm told would not be difficult to learn with the capture of the _Drala Fi_."

"No it wouldn't," Branmer agreed knowing from speaking to worker caste friends that while the jump engines of all hyperspace capable species shared many of the same basic characteristics due to the nature of the physics involved there were some slight differences in the frequency of the energy vortices they created. Differences caused by subtle differences in the exact design of the engine and variations in exactly what materials were used in construction. With the defeated, captured _Drala Fi_ – as well as the wrecks of numerous other defeated Minbari warships – to examine it wouldn't exactly have taken a competent technician long to figure out what field modulation to use to disrupt Minbari jump points. He made a mental note to have a word with the worker caste elders after the battle, to see if they could figure out away around the latest surprise that the enemy was throwing at them.

"Still it is most vexing that they have figured it out," he said at last just as they turned the corner leading to the tactical centre. "It will make our task that much harder."

"We do have the advantage of superior numbers, Shai Alyt," Neroon reminded his superior as they entered the tactical centre and passed through the shimmering curtain of the active holographic field. Around them hyperspace glowed and pulsed while silhouetted against the marbled red and black ether were the sleek forms of the hundred and eighty Minbari warships with the majority being Sharlin's all of them primed and ready to engage the enemy in battle. The fleet had come to a dead halt in space with any motion being nothing more than the slight drift that all vessels experienced when in hyperspace.

"Yes but not by much and if this war has taught us anything Neroon it is that the Terrans are an enemy whose powers and capabilities demand our respect. Underestimating them would be a folly of the highest order and will only lead to defeat, dishonour and death."

Neroon nodded in understanding and acceptance of the sentiment. The Terrans had done something that the warrior caste had long thought to be utterly impossible and stop their fleet in its tracks. While they had had some victories against the enemy they'd been handed their share of defeats and even in victory had paid a heavy price in blood. The murderers of Dukhat the enemy may have been but they demanded and had his – and most other warriors – respect.

"I agree," he admitted after a moment before gazing at the fleet arrayed around them. The bulk of the fleet had assumed the standard combat formation favoured by the Minbari, a formation that allowed them to maximise their use of firepower while limiting – as much as possible – the enemies ability to exploit the weaknesses inherent in all Minbari warship design particularly their limited to non-existent flanking weaponry. A weakness that he'd already heard was being looked into addressing by the workers for the next generation of warships along with the revealed fragility of the polycrystalline armour to kinetic attack. Niall fighters buzzed around and ahead of the main body of the fleet ready and eager to engage the enemy.

Hanging back from the main force of a hundred and twenty Sharlin's and Shagotti were the sixty ships of the reserve force. As with the main force they were all composed of Sharlin's led by a single Shagotti with their own fighters in tight escort formation. With them were dozens of Tigara assault transports all of them loaded to bear with ground warriors and equipment to capture the Terran colony – though the fleet would first have to both secure orbit and open up a hole in the jamming field for the ships to jump in as while Tigara's were well armoured they weren't the fastest or most manoeuvrable of Minbari war craft flying them through a raging fleet battle would be downright suicidal as they would be easy targets for enemy gunners.

"Then let us begin," Branmer said softly mentally saying a prayer to the universe for good fortune in the battle to come, before he raised his voice slightly so the comm. would pick it up and relay to the rest of the fleet. "Shai Alyt Branmer to assault fleet; activate jump engines and prepare to move into normal space, reserve force and assault transports activate jump engines but remain in hyperspace until signalled."

"Assault fleet reports ready Shai Alyt," Neroon reported listening to a report from the bridge on a small comm. device in one ear.

"Assault fleet jump," Branmer ordered a moment before a thrum of power sounded through the _Takari_ and the glowing blue funnel of a jump point formed in front of the ship. Without delay the cruiser crossed into the open rip in the fabric of hyperspace crossing the boundary into normal space. All around them the rest of the assault fleet did the same, transiting back into normal space ready to engage the enemy force defending New Hibernia and the hyperspace lane leading deeper into Terran space.

An enemy force that appeared to have been taken by surprise by their appearance as a dozen fighters and one of the small gunships were veering away from them at high speed, while the distant smears and points of the rest of the fleet began moving into formation to meet them.

Branmer didn't even have to give the order.

Emerald green neutron beams and yellow-green fusion beams lanced out from the weapons arrays to the leading Sharlin's ripping into the fleeing fighters and gunship with swift surgical efficiency. The fighters flashed to vapour instantly as the beams tore them apart, the gunship however spun away leaking atmosphere and bodies as its hull was sliced open its shield offering no protection from the close range attack. A second salvo of neutron beams from three separate Sharlin's tore into the slowly disintegrating vessel turning it into a fireball as fuel and ordinance detonated reducing the vessel to a plume of cooling plasma and torn metallic fragments.

"All ships advanced forward at flank speed open fire as soon as you have a target," Branmer ordered calmly even as he held up a hand that caused the holographic display to zoom in on the surprised enemy fleet. _Nice to know we can still have some advantages over them,_ he thought guessing that whatever the sensor system the enemy used to penetrate Minbari stealth was it didn't work in hyperspace. He made a mental note to speak with the workers later maybe it would help the scientists figure out just how a species that'd only been spacefaring for one and a half centuries could defeat a technology that had been thought flawless for centuries.

However he could see that the advantage of surprise was only temporary as the enemy was already reacting with fighters pouring out of the larger enemy ships even as the ships themselves manoeuvred bringing their bows – and the muzzles of their main mass accelerator cannons – to bear on the rapidly advancing Minbari. Mere seconds later the muzzles of the cannons flickered with visible electromagnetic distortions a moment before a storm of solid metal slugs erupted towards them.

"How long till we enter firing range," Branmer asked Neroon as he observed the approaching storm of hyper-accelerated metal, a storm that was approaching so fast that the slugs literally glowed with the slight friction of interplanetary gasses being brushed aside on contact with the projectiles.

"Our cruisers will be in firing range in one minute and thirty seconds Shai Alyt," Neroon replied as the first salvo of enemy fire arrived, most shots seemed to miss the rapidly advancing war cruisers however brilliant explosions and plumes of shattering polycrystalline armour erupted from several cruisers as they took direct strikes. "Our fighters should be engaging the enemy momentarily."

Branmer nodded in understanding before wincing as a second far more accurate volley of enemy fire arrived, pummelling dozens of cruisers with multiple slugs blowing away huge chunks of polycrystalline armour, snapping off weapons mounts and sensor antenna and in some cases causing silvery plumes of venting atmosphere to appear as hulls were breached. A third volley followed right on the heels of the second inflicting yet more punishing damage and causing two Sharlin's to fall out of formation trailing atmosphere and wreckage from multiple hull breaches. Branmer frowned slightly as not for the first time the enemies range advantage showed just how devastating it could be, though he also noticed with a cold shiver that unlike in previous battles where only one in ten mass accelerator shots hit their targets every single shot in the second and third salvos had hit a target. Clearly the enemy had improved the sensors that allowed them to breach the stealth systems presumably from having had ample time now to examine the system on the captured _Drala Fi_.

Abruptly a deep, rumbling boom filled the air and the _Takari_ shuddered violently under enemy fire. Branmer and Neroon both stumbled, their bodies pulled sideways by the momentary loss of gravitational stability. "Damage," Branmer asked as the ship stabilised.

"Direct hit to our forward dorsal hull," Neroon replied listening to the report on his headset, "forward dorsal weapons array offline, forward armour integrity down by twenty five percent. Minor damage to the main hanger bay, four percent power loss."

Branmer nodded in understanding realising they'd been lucky. Being a Shagotti-class cruiser the _Takari_ had thicker bands of armour than a Sharlin did as well as a slightly stronger gravimetric defence field, both of which had certainly contributed to the light damage the hit had caused them. Most Sharlin's would not have weathered a similar hit as well; certainly damage would be considerably more extensive. He put it out of his mind and returned his full attention to the holographic display as the Minbari fleet crossed an invisible line in space. They opened fire immediately lashing out at the enemy with dense javelins of green fire.

Battle was joined.

* * *

Emerald green neutron beams and yellow-green beams of fusion density plasma lanced out from the weapons arrays of the assembled Minbari war cruisers. The intense streams of destructive power seared the vacuum of space as they reached out towards and made contact with the first line of the Fourth Fleet assigned to the defence of Jericho and the New Hibernia colony. Several frigates crumpled and exploded their weaker kinetic barriers and thinly armoured hulls offering no real protection against the powerful Minbari weapons which simply sliced them apart like toys. Destroyers fared only slightly better as while their more powerful barriers diffused and refracted some of the power of the beams as they passed through enough got through to boil away great tracts of armour and scorch and render the hull causing four ships to fall out of formation trailing debris and venting atmosphere from the breaches ripped in their hulls.

However the energy weapon assault went both ways. Dense bolts of superheated plasma encased in mass effect fields erupted from multiple pulse cannon arrays accompanied by another vicious barrage of mass accelerator slugs from the main cannons. Minbari warships shuddered in torment as the fast moving plasma bolts cut into thick polycrystalline armour, boiling away the material one layer at time. Other bolts hit weapons arrays triggering small explosions as the by nature volatile arrays reacted negatively to being subjected to the assaults, sensor antenna and communications arrays also took hits as to the surprise and concern of the Minbari every single bolt sliced into a target courtesy of the new targeting VI developed for the Alliance military by the Quarians.

Mass accelerator rounds followed, blowing away chunks of armour and ripping off parts of drive and weapons fins sending Minbari ships reeling and allowing additional streams of plasma to cut into exposed sections of grey hull metal beneath the blue of the crystalline armour. Within moments a Sharlin exploded as plasma rounds exploding deep inside its compromised hull ruptured the containment fields on the artificial quantum singularity that powered the vessel causing it to blink out of existence releasing all of its pent up power in a single cataclysmic burst of energy. Two other Sharlin's – hulls riddled with holes that made them look like bizarrely shaped and coloured pieces of Swiss cheese – fell out of formation leaking atmosphere, debris and bodies of dead and dying crew members from the multiple molten-edged hull breaches.

Despite the heavy pummelling their vanguard was taking the Minbari fleet advanced with single minded determination their own weapons blazing as they lashed back at there tormentors the power they were able to hit them with growing as the range closed meaning their beams suffered less attenuation due to the distance they had to travel before encountering both the passive and active defences of the Terran ships. Ships on both sides fell out of formation with heavy damage as the two fleets relentlessly blasted away at each other like tanks at twenty paces.

Between the warships fighters clashed in their own brutal dogfights as Minbari Nialls attempted to get in range to strafe the defence platforms and satellites over New Hibernia while also fighting hard to keep the Terran Scorpions from getting close enough to the Sharlin's and Shagotti's to volley disruptor missiles into the hulls as bitter past experience had taught the Minbari well that only a handful of the weapons was all it took to send a cruiser and everyone onboard to their deaths as the spatial distortion producing warheads ripped the ship apart.

All in all the battle could to an uneducated observer be seen to be descending into a total free for all space brawl between two very well matched opponents. But they would have been wrong, despite the massive amounts of damage and destruction being inflicted upon both sides the two forces kept their formations tight and ordered as they engaged each other in the biggest battle of the war to date. Slowly though the tide of battle began to shift into the favour of the Minbari as there extremely powerful beam weapons overwhelmed most of the smaller Terran ships in minutes and began inflicting damage upon the larger but fewer in number heavy ships as more ships were able to concentrate fire upon a single opponent.

* * *

**Planetary Defence Command**

**New Hibernia**

General Richard 'Firestorm' Franklin frowned as he studied the hologram of the battle in space floating above the main situation table in the operations centre of the planetary defence command bunker buried beneath Argyle the capital - and only – city on the New Hibernia colony. Though he was no admiral he could tell that the battle in orbit was not going well for his people. The Minbari were striking at them with a fleet composed entirely of _dreadnoughts_ and the difference in effective firepower at closer ranges was showing as ship after ship was destroyed.

That wasn't to say however the Minbari were getting everything there own way. The Minbari ships lack of any real barriers beyond a relatively low power gravimetric defence field was working against them as it did with most other races in the Orion Arm. Plasma bolts and mass accelerator rounds from the navy ships – designed as they were with the latest generations of kinetic barriers in mind – were smashing into unprotected armoured hulls, shattering armour and ripping deep into the ships with a great deal of ease. The improved targeting VI developed by the Quarians was also helping ensuring that literally every shot counted for something. In the five or six minutes that had passed since the Minbari had entered firing range nearly a third of their ships had been destroyed or been reduced to shattered air bleeding wrecks but with fanatical determination the boneheads kept pushing steadily overwhelming the space based defences while being seemingly headless of their own savage losses.

"General," a young lieutenant called from one of the consoles, "the outer edge of the Minbari fleet have entered the effective engagement range of the defence platforms. The beta group platforms report clear firing lanes for the Minbari ships currently fighting their way towards the dreadnoughts _Shasta_ and the _Augustine._"

A faint predatory grin appeared on Richard's face at the report. With the Minbari coming into the effective engagement range of the Charybdis-class planetary defence platforms towed here from Beta Durani over the last few months he now had a chance to take some of the pressure off the hard fighting navy. And in the process show the Minbari why the Charybdis-class was one of the most feared unmanned defence platforms in the known galaxy second only to the Asari Athame-class defence platforms.

"Excellent," he said, "have the beta group platforms lock on target."

"Aye sir," the marine answered hands dancing across his console relaying the order to the four platforms of beta group. Within moments he received a response from the specialised Virtual Intelligences controlling each destroyer-sized platform. "Platforms confirm firing solutions general. Antimatter charge launchers active and fully charged."

"Fire"

* * *

The moment they received the firing command from the defence command centre on the ground the VI's controlling each Charybdis platform initiated final targeting solutions confirming there weapons locks on three Sharlin's and a Shagotti. In nanoseconds the firing solutions were confirmed and the VI's initiated the firing sequence of the oversized mass accelerator cannon that made up the bulk of the platform a cannon designed not to fire solid metal slugs like most mass accelerators but to fire something quite different. Something far more dangerous and destructive, so dangerous in fact that so far no one had ever been insane enough to try and mount it onboard a starship.

Into the breach of each platform main cannon slid a slender cone-shaped silver projectile embossed with warning symbols. Each projectile was a very complex piece of engineering featuring its own inbuilt power source and safety systems, all of which was designed to contain the most volatile substance in creation. Suspended in the centre of each projectile by a powerful mass effect field was a small lump of antimatter sufficient to cause quite a sizeable explosion when it was allowed to interact with the normal matter around it.

As soon as each projectile was secure in the pre-fire chamber powerful solenoids lining the mass accelerator spun up forming a powerful magnetic field which immediately began attracting the projectile towards them. Before it could make contact with the first coil it shut off accelerating the projectile towards the next in the sequence and so on accelerating the projectile to .06 percent of light speed as it shot down the barrel. Emerging from the barrel accompanied by a powerful flash of electromagnetic static the rounds shot towards the four oblivious Minbari ships that were just beginning to exchange shots with the Fourth Fleet's two dreadnoughts.

In seconds each projectile crossed the distance and slammed into the sides of the four targeted vessels the impact activating the warheads. Mass effect fields snapped off allowing matter and antimatter to meet, within each projectile a massive sphere of pure, rampaging energy and hard radiation burst into existence. The specifically shaped walls of the chamber boiled and melted away but lasted just long enough for the dense material to carry out its final purpose, to direct the massive energy release into a single focused spear of purest destruction. Spears that instantly sliced into the Minbari warships like the galaxies biggest blowtorches. Polycrystalline armour, hull metal, support framework and the bodies of crew members flashed to vapour instantly as the jets tore through the ships incinerating them from the inside out.

For a moment out of time the four gutted Minbari warships hung in space and seemed to glow illuminated from within by the deadly force of the blasts. Then all four vanished simultaneously in massive explosions that reduced the once proud and mighty ships to plumes of highly energised but rapidly dissipating plasma.

* * *

**Tactical Centre**

**Minbari War Cruiser Takari**

Shai Alyt Branmer gaped in shock as four of his ships went up simultaneously in massive explosions the result of a hit each by somekind of fast moving projectile that had come from four of the dozen large new platforms orbiting New Hibernia. The sheer violence of the blasts stunned him momentarily speechless as he had never seen anything like it in his life before.

"What in Valen's name was that," he demanded after a moment whirling to look at an equally stunned Neroon.

Neroon gulped slightly before going pale as he listened to the report coming in from the bridge. "Antimatter detonation," he said, "those projectiles were somekind of antimatter charges, somehow the Terrans have found away to focus the explosive power of antimatter. Compress it into a stream of destruction that nothing we know of could possibly survive. Its similar to our own antimatter cannons but an order of magnitude stronger, each blast was according to our sensors equal to a sixty-four megaton detonation."

"In Valen's name," Branmer breathed they'd known that the Terrans did have antimatter technology of course, they used it to propel their warships through space after all and had used antimatter missiles and torpedoes during the devastating attack on the Na'vel Yards. But this was different this was on a whole other scale of power. After a moment he mentally shook himself, pushing aside the shock with a great deal of effort and focusing on responding to this latest threat thrown at them by the enemy. A threat that was clearly devastating as another pair of Sharlin's vanished in massive explosions as two of the platforms fired again swatting the normally mighty warships from the sky like they were little more than toys, proving that the platforms were a threat that had to be dealt with a.s.a.p.

He quickly studied the raging battle around them, noticing the positions of all the Minbari ships in relation to both the hard fighting but being steadily overwhelmed Terran forces and the defence platforms. He also noticed that some Niall's had gotten through to begin strafing the platforms though he was honestly not surprised to see the familiar blue energy barriers appear around the larger platforms attenuating the Niall's neutron beam fire to the point where it was to all intents and purposes useless against the armoured structures. Small defensive cannons on the platforms immediately began firing laser pulses back in retaliation burning six Niall's from the sky in moments.

Fortunately he had options to help them. "Shai Alyt Branmer to Niall squadrons engaging the defence platforms break off your attack and concentrate fire on the jamming satellites," he ordered, "cruiser group move to engage the defence platforms."

The results of his orders were apparent immediately as the Niall squadrons strafing the defence platforms veered off and instead began firing at the satellites producing the vortex frequency jamming field. Neutron beams from the fighters slicing through the thinly armoured satellites with ease sending three to their doom in moments. Once enough of those satellites were taken out he would be able to call in his reserve forces and finish the first phase of the battle to take Jericho from the enemy. A phase that had already proven costly with over a third of his forces already destroyed or disabled, the fact that they had destroyed more than half the enemy fleet in return was little comfort given the scale of the losses the attack fleet was taking. Tens of thousands of Minbari were dead, injured or dying and the battle was still far from concluded.

"Shai Alyt," Neroon said drawing his attention, he glanced over at his aide to see Neroon pointing at a section of the holographic field. Branmer followed his direction and smiled slightly when he saw the enemy fleet was breaking, Terran warships beginning to pull away from the engagement with his ships weapons continuing to blaze as they began a fighting retreat.

"Excellent," he replied stumbling as the dull boom of another direct hit against the side of the _Takari_ rattled through the ship causing a momentary fluctuation in the artificial gravity field. He steadied himself before addressing the fleet, "cruiser groups five and six join group four in concentrating fire upon the orbital defence grid, all surviving Niall squadrons move to engage the jamming and laser satellites. All other ships concentrate on driving the enemy fleet away from the planet."

* * *

**Planetary Defence Command**

**A Few Minutes Earlier**

"General," a communications rating called across the situation room, "Admiral Yu reports his forces are down to forty percent strength. He's requesting permission to withdraw the fleet before they're all destroyed."

"Granted they can't do anymore good up there," Richard Franklin replied scowling at the main hologram. The Fourth Fleet had done its best, fought incredibly hard against the Minbari but the enemy assault was just too strong for them to realistically have a chance of turning the enemy back on their own as the power of the Minbari fleet was just too great, far greater than had ever been planned for. But then until today nobody had expected the Minbari to send an assault fleet composed entirely of dreadnoughts.

"What's the status of the defence grid," he asked after a moment of observing the battered and bruised remains of the fleet begin breaking off, still firing upon the Minbari determined to inflict as much damage on the invading force as possible even as they withdrew from battle.

"Sensors indicate that three separate groups of Minbari dreadnoughts are manoeuvring towards the defence platforms and are beginning to paint them with targeting scans, the rest appear to be attempting to push the remains of the Fourth Fleet away from orbit," another officer reported. "Minbari fighters appear to be focusing all their attention of the vortex frequency and laser satellites in grids Beta Three through Delta Nine. They appear to be intent on opening a considerable hole in the jamming field."

"Probably to jump assault transports in," Richard mused aloud as that is what he would have done in the Minbari commanders position, keep his assault transports in the relative safety of hyperspace until the last possible moment then jump them into orbit. "Very well have all anti-aircraft positions go to full alert. All marine units are also to prepare to repel a ground assault. All defence platforms target the Minbari dreadnoughts and open fire, take as many of them down as possible."

"Aye sir."

As the level of activity in the situation room increased Richard turned his full attention back to the hologram. The last of the surviving Fourth Fleet ships was flickering into translight leaving him and the army of marines that had assembled to protect this planet alone save for the orbiting defence platforms and satellites. Platforms that were now firing with everything they had at the encroaching Minbari warships sending a dozen to their doom in antimatter firestorms in as many shots. Meanwhile the laser satellites also fired intense beams of energy seeking out cracked and shattered armour on multiple dreadnoughts to begin burning into the hull or targeting the trailing edges of the fins that were such an intrinsic part of the gravity based propulsion systems used by the Minbari. Several more of the enemy vessels fell out of formation bleeding burning air and wreckage as the heavy lasers sliced into and through wounded hulls.

It was the last hurrah of the orbital defences.

No sooner than the last ship fell out of formation to drift helplessly than the rest of the Minbari fleet opened up on the defence grid – each ship firing at any and all platforms and satellites that within the range of their weapons systems. Richard watched as the icons representing the orbital defences flashed red on masse before blinking out as the immense firepower washed over them like a tsunami breaking upon the shore, tearing them from the sky in a blaze that to anyone standing on the surface would have been clearly visible.

"All defence platforms and satellites facing the Minbari fleet destroyed sir," an officer reported needlessly. "One of the larger Minbari dreadnoughts is sending a tachyon transmission. Jump points forming."

"I see them," Richard confirmed as the icons representing opening jump vortices appeared in orbit and began disgorging more Minbari ships. Sixty of whom were additional dreadnoughts all of whom were clustered around two dozen large transports. _Assault transports they have to be,_ he thought as the new arrivals spread out, the dreadnoughts and their attendant fighters breaking their tight formation and joining up with the main assault force. The transports however began slowly moving, heading straight towards the planet confirming that they were what Richard had thought them to be, assault transports that from their size would be packed with at least a divisions worth of soldiers and their attendant vehicles and support weapons.

Analysis VI's cut in projecting the Minbari entry angle and determining the optimum landing site for the Minbari if they wanted to take the colonial capital as quickly as possible. Though they knew next to nothing about the ground combat capabilities of the Minbari the VI's projected that the most likely place for the Minbari to land was a wide stretch of grassland thirty-seven kilometres south east of the city suburbs. Aside from a few isolated homesteads – which had long since been evacuated of their inhabitants – there was little on the grass covered plane as most of the development of New Hibernia so far had been focused in and around the capital city and the massive freshwater lake that bordered the cities western side.

Fortunately the plane was well within range of anti-aircraft batteries that had been deployed in key locations in the area immediately around New Glasgow, so he and his entire marine division would be able to give the Minbari an appropriately warm reception. "Communications instruct anti-aircraft batteries to target the incoming transports," he ordered. "Fire as soon as they're within range and inform marine rapid reaction units to prepare to sortie to intercept any Minbari that manage to land."

"Aye sir."

Richard allowed a small, grim smile to grace his normally impassive face as the hologram showed the Minbari transports had entered the atmosphere and were as predicted by the VI's on a path to land in the middle of the plane. In a few more moments the Minbari craft would come within the engagement range of the first of the anti-aircraft batteries.

The second phase of the battle for New Hibernia and with it the Jericho System was about to begin.

* * *

Authors Note: Sorry there has been such a huge delay with this fic people, I had major writers block with it which I've only recently managed to break. I hope everyone liked the battle in orbit though I apologise if it comes across as a bit brief and glossed over as I didn't really want to write a blow by blow account of the fighting as that would have rapidly become boring. Next chapter we'll see the one and only ground battle of the Terran-Minbari War I just hope I can do the capabilities of both sides justice when I come to writing it all out.


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